


Is It This Or That?

by GothicHeaven



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, past skika/tem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-11
Updated: 2012-11-26
Packaged: 2017-11-18 11:05:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 45,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/560347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicHeaven/pseuds/GothicHeaven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ok so maybe he made a dumb choice and now she was hurt, but then why's she acting like nothing happened? Why is she with Kiba? Rebound? Or was he just not that important? But then why does it seem like such a game to them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Knowings And Its Effects

Chapter 1- The Knowing and It's Effects

Kiba thought it through again as he watched her talk to the gate guards. Should he ruin her relationship with Shikamaru? Shikamaru pretty much already ruined it. It only took an Inuzuka so much to know when a man has two mates. He hadn't been around Shikamaru too often recently or at all really but it had been easy to tell that he and Ino had been all over each other and more, alot more. The looks didn't help either but poor Temari didn't see. Should he be the one to show her? 

He was still in thought when she left the gates heading into the village. He had to think fast because she was already headed towards Shikamaru's apartment. Should he or should he not? He wasn't one to meddle but still this actually kinda bothered him. Why? He wasn't sure. He himself had several sexual encounters with several women of various ages on a regular basis. If he stopped he'd be severely missed. Blame it in the Inuzuka genes if you will. He couldn't help it. 

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't realise that the object of his thoughts had suddenly disappeared to appear behind him until "RAWR!!"

It was only his ninja training that prevented him from attacking her before he realised who it was. But not before letting out an undignified yelp, not that he'd admit that. A yelp? Seriously? Not very manly or ninja like. He'd settle for grunt even thought they sound nothing alike but still... 

He looked back at Temari's laughing form and glared at her. She quieted herself down just enough to ask. 

"What were you doing?"

"Thinking about you." he answered before he knew what he was saying. She stared at him for a moment before falling back into a laughing fit. 

"Now I know you really are a player." she said between laughs then gave him a look. "So shamelessly flirting with someone elses girl and he's your friend too. Don't you know i'm off limits? You know, in a relationship?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking about." Kiba muttered darkly. Surprisingly Temari didn't catch it. 

"So why were you watching me?" Temari asked leaning on the back of the bench he was sitting on. 

"I was thinking and what I was thinking had something to do with you." he answered turning to look at her. She raised a delicate brow at him

"So you weren't just flirting when you said you were thinking about me? Aww how cute." she cooed grinning broadly at him. 

'She's so darn oblivious.'

"What I was thinking wasn't cute. It's about Shikamaru." Kiba began in all seriousness. 

"What happened? Is he ok? Is he sick?" Temari asked suddenly, worry written all over her face. 

Before Kiba could reply she was off like the wind. He stared after her for a moment then sighed. Maybe he had started off a little too serious with that one. Nothing he could do now but go back home and go see if Akamaru was done resting from that last mission they had. Hopefully Hana wouldn't kick him out again. 

XX

Temari was over run with worry as she sped across the rooftops to Shikamaru's apartment. If he wasn't there she would go to his old home then the hospital. Hopefully thats not where he was. 

She jumped right through the window and into his living room. Nothing seemed out of place. She was about to call for him when she heard it. Strange sounds emmanating from his bedroom. She stepped a bit closer to the door when she heard it, soft moaning and it definately wasnt Shika's voice. Groaning and grunting. She stepped closer and slowly began to open the door abit more than before. She gaped at the scene before her, Shikamaru and Ino in all their naked glory. That was until what was going on really clicked to her. She felt a vein burst in her head. 

Shikamaru looked up at the unearthly growl that she let loose but it was too late. Ino screamed just seconds before being hit with a slicing gust of wind that knocked both her and Shikamaru into the wall along with the bed. 

Temari jumped through the window landing expertly on the ground with her fan in hand. She swung it over her shoulder seething. How could he? After she pushed herself to get here early for a surprise? And with his team mate no less? But no she should have seen this coming. That Ino was always around too often and was so flirty and bossy. It had been her mistake to put it down to being her normal behaviour. But that jerk had the heart to play around with her? The bloody lazy bum had the audacity to hurt her like this. He would rue the day he did this to her. 

'Rue it, I tell you.' she thought an evil scowl crossing her face. The people in the street all looked at her with weary eyes.

"What?" she screamed at them and they immediately turned away and scampered along. She glared around the unfamiliar street. Now, where the hell was she? You'd think that after all the times she came here she'd know the place alittle better right? Wrong. Great. Now she was ticked and lost.

"Temari?" a voice asked from behind her. She spun around quickly causing the person to have to take a step back to avoid being hit by her fan. "Watch where you're swinging that thing."

She glared at tall chocolate haired Inuzuka. He blinked back at her. 

"About earlier." he began but she stopped him with a raised hand. 

"Save it." she told him and sealed her fan once more. "That's what you were going to tell me wasn't it? The... Thing with the THAT!"

"I take it you know then." he said quietly subconsciously running a hand through Akamaru's fur. Temari glared at him again and he watched her quietly fume for a minute before Akamaru whined nudging him in the side 'you've gotta help her.'

"Let's go shopping!" he said suddenly. 

"What?" Temari asked incredulously breaking from here seething to raise a brow at him. 

"Shopping. I've got some groceries to pick up and you're not doing anything helpful to your mental health." Kiba said grabbing her by the arm and pulling her along. "Come on, it'll be fun. Besides I suck at grocery shopping. You'd think with a nose like mine I would pick the right fruits"

"So you're gonna pull a depressed and ticked girl along to do your shopping?" Temari asked but didn't resist his pulling. 

"Yep. Pretty much." he answered nonchalantly and she stared at him a moment before erupting in laughter. 

"You're crazy."

"And you're laughing." he said with a cheesy grin. 

XX

"I can't believe it, but I'm going to have to be here for a few days. What am I going to do now?"

Kiba looked over at Temari leaning against the tree beside him. He was lying fully on the ground with Akamaru's head resting on him. He looked at the patches of sunlight that fell through the leaves and onto her face. She was actually beautiful. 

"You could pretend that nothing happened and that you were never together." he suggested and she looked at him with sad eyes. 

"If only it were that easy."

"Ok. You just try to do the whole pretending thing tomorrow and I'll figure out what to do in the meanwhile."

"Why would you do that?" Temari asked focusing her attention on him

"I like you and you don't deserve what you got." Kiba said simply and Temari had to wonder what kind of things were going through his mind. More importantly what kind of 'like' was that?

"You're not thinking of getting in my pants, are you?" she asked suddenly. He chuckled looking up at the sky. 

"Despite what everybody thinks that's not the only thing that goes through my mind." 

"But that's what was right now, wasn't it?"

"No, I was actually trying to find something to help."

"Nope, it was definitely my pants."

"If I was I would have said so already. You're not even wearing pants" 

"Self preservation. You know I would kill you if you said so and you know what I mean"

"You know what? I'm carrying this stuff home before mom gets mad." he said getting up and grabbing the bags. Temari followed him to her feet. 

"It's only because I'm right." she called as he began to walk away. 

"If I was, I'd already be there."

"No, you wouldn't."

"Yes, I would."

"Nope."

"Yea."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Whatever." he said brushing her off. "I'll fix your problem tomorrow."

"Sure." Temari muttered watching him go with Akamaru walking beside him. Turning to go to the hotel that she would be staying at the betrayal came crashing down on her. A new thought popped up with every step she took.

How the hell could she be civil with him tomorrow? There was noway she could just forget or even pretend? What did Ino have that she didn't? She had class Ino looked loose. Did he really think that she was of that standard? Sure she wasn't the girliest girl but she wasn't loose or overly boy like? Or was it that Shika just had a thing for blondes? Why was she even still referring to him as 'Shika'? If it's a blond thing then did that mean he had Naruto too? How many blondes would be safe from him then? Did it streach to red hair? If that the case then beware Choji and Gaara!

'Where the hell is my brain straying to?' she thought miserably. 

XXXXX

Temari woke the next morning feeling none the brighter. The massive headache didn't help either. Well she could always skip work but then what kind of an ambassador would she be? She glared at her reflection in the mirror. 

'Kiba will help me.' she thought slightly. But what could he possibly do to make this better? Maybe she should just do what he said. She tried the brightest smile she could muster to the mirror. It was so fake! Who would have thought that she of all people would be going through something like this?

"Damn!" she screamed stomping out the door. Time to deal the ninja way: nothing ain't happened. She stepped into the street to see Shikamaru leaning against a wall across the street. He immediately walked over to her. She smiled at him. "Good morning!"

"Good morning." he said frowning at her seemingly 'happy' nature. They both started walking. Shikamaru scratched one of the small scraps on his face that he had gotten from Temari's fan. This was really uncomfortable. With a silent 'troublesome' he turned to look at her. "About yesterday-"

"Yesterday? What about it?" she asked before he could finish. He frowned, maybe she was taking this hard. 

"About-"

"Oh! Did you know that there is a very cute store over on market street that sells all sorts of trinkets? I'd never been over there until yesterday. It's so lively almost like the market place in Suna." she said happily and he had to close his mouth not to gape. What the heck was she talking about? 

"You should really go there sometime with your girl friend."

"Hey, can we go out later. We need to talk."

"Later? I thought you and your girlfriend would like to go out in celebration of loosing the third wheel." Temari said giving him a clueless look. Now Shikamaru was getting confused and that didn't happen often. Her spirits were way too high. He gave her a once over then she grinned again and jabbed him in the side. "Besides you can talk to me anywhere. We don't have to go out to talk. I've got something to do later anyway."

"Really?" he asked skeptically. 

"Yea." she lied. Shikamaru raised a brow at her awkward behaviour but did't question it. Why make life more troublesome? If thats the way she was going to treat it, why push it? Suddenly Temari saw a familiar flash of white. 

"Hey, you go ahead I'll catch up in two." she said quickly and he watched her disappear in a poof of smoke. 

'Now what the hell is going on?' he thought staring at the empty space that she had just occupied. 'First she's super happy and friendly then she's just up and gone. What's going on?"

Kiba paused in his chewing to stare at the girl that appeared in front of him. She had her hands in her hair wide eyed horrified. A wave of concern he didn't know he was capable of washed over him. 

"I don't know what I'm going to do. Faking it shouldn't be so hard! I'm a ninja, we lie for a living!" she said frantically. He nodded understandingly and got back to chewing the price of jerky he had been eating. He handed another plate full to Akamaru as she continued. "It hurts and it's so difficult that I end up rambling so that I can pretend better. I'm a ninja for crying out loud."

"Usually emotions aren't involved when we lie or pretend." Kiba stated absently. Temari glared at him. 

"Why are you sounding so smart and calm?" she asked cautiously and he shrugged. 

"It's morning. I haven't had my pick me up yet." he answered with a yawn. Temari sighed as she took a step forward to pet Akamaru. 

"Yea well. Now I said a stupid lie that I have something to do later just to not talk to him." she said and a wolfish grin spread across his face. She looked up at him with a questioning look. 

"That's great!"


	2. Bet You Didn't Know

Chapter 2- Bet You Didn't Know

Temari brushed her hair back again as she looked at her self in the mirror. She had to admit Kiba had taste. The dress was plain and white but it hugged the figure of her body until it flared at the waist. It caught to mid thigh to show off her long legs and had a fair enough cleavage that accentuated everything else. The heels that she wore with it were also white and four inches high. She looked stunning if she said so herself. But would Kiba think that? He must have been with so many girls that probably would have looked better than her in this dress. Well that sucked. She probably didn't look like anything that great.

"Temari!" a loud voice called and the door slammed open. In less than a blink of the eye Temari had a kunai ready. At the sight of Kiba she lowered the kunai. He was staring at her.

"What?" she asked putting the kunai in a secret place under the dress. He didn't answer but walked towards her. He took her hand and spun her around to face the mirror then wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

"You look wonderful." he whispered in her ear which tinted her cheeks a light shade of pink. Shikamaru never told her that. The very few time she dressed up it was always 'nice' or 'good'. Stupid four letter words that just didn't cut it. Maybe she should have realised those times that it wasn't worth it. Oh the jerk. She muttered a quiet thanks

"You're welcome. It's the truth." he said resting his head on her shoulder and closing his eyes.

"Kiba," Temari began earning a low hum in her ear that sent a shiver down her spine. She glared at his reflection and the look of utter contentment on his face. "Why are you still holding me?"

Kiba shifted to hide his smirk behind her head. "You smell nice." he answered but pulled away from her all the same. She glared at him with suspicion. He flashed her a bright smile and jumped to sit on her bed.

"What are you doing here anyway?" she asked

"I was calling for like ten minutes out there. I thought you lost it."

"Aww. It's touching that you care," she said with a smile as she walked towards him. She suddenly grabbed him by his collar and yanked him forward to give him a dark look. "but don't ever think that I'd lose it over the piece of trash."

"While I enjoy your attention and roughness," he said pulling her hands from his collar. "it's time to go."

"Great. Where exactly are we going?" she asked as he pulled her with him.

"Really cool party. Pretty much every ninja will be there. Civilians too. Oh and next time be careful how you threaten me. It might not turn out the way you want it to." he told her adding a wink to the last sentence. She rolled her eyes at him. They were out in the night air when Temari realised a few things about Kiba's appearance.

He looked good in deep red and he knew how to dress. His dress shirt had the first few bottoms open to show off his tanned chest and the sleeves were also rolled up to his elbows. His pants fit him perfectly.

In the right moon light his spiked brown hair looked silver streaked and his Inuzuka markings were almost invisible.

He actually seemed hollow faraway.

That last one lead to the final point: no Akamaru.

"Like what you see?" he asked with a smirk. Damn! Caught in the act! She smiled flirtatiously at him.

"It depends, what is it that I see?" she said batting her eyes. He chucked and held a white object out to her.

"That's your admission." he said as she took it from him.

"A mask?"

"A lot of people probably have similar ones. If that's the thing I can customise it for ya!" he said putting in a silly grin as he held up a red marker. He quickly put the mask onto her and began to scribble on the mask with the marker. He stepped back to look at his handy work: a red paw print under her right eye with smaller paw prints down to the end.

"What did you do?"

"It's a paw print."

"Can I trust you that it is?"

"Well yea."

"Where's yours?"

"What's with all the questions?" he asked but held the mask up. She snatched it and the marker away turning away to scribble her own paw print on it before slamming it onto his face.

"Ow". he grumbled moving a hand to the mask.

"You can't look at that!" she exclaimed pointing the marker at him.

"Ok ok. We're here anyway." he said pointing at the building they had stopped before.

"A nightclub." Temari whispered then shook her head. "Should have known Konoha would have a nightclub."

"What, you didn't know? We've got about three of them. The civilian one The ninja one. This is the mixed one. Shikamaru never took you to one?" at that she gave him a look that clearly said 'If he had, wouldn't I have known there were nightclubs?'

"He's such a bad boy. So dull." he said leading her into the building after the doorman let them in. The place was dark except for the eratic flashing light and the music was booming loud. He pulled her towards the bar. "Drinks first dance later."

Surprisingly she had proven herself a very good dancer to Kiba. They had barely danced through one dance before Temari spotted a familiar head. She pulled Kiba down to talk to him.

"I'm gonna play with a certain jerk who never took me to a place like this." she said as she looked over at the owner of the head. Kiba followed her eyes with a smirk.

"Fine just come back before the end of the song. Remember, you came with me."

"So possessive." she murmured with a grin behind the mask.

"Can't help it if I am." he said letting her go.

XX

Now Shikamaru had been watching the dance floor with blank eyes he wasn't really interested in these things but Ino had dragged him along. Now she had disappeared. How wonderful. He raised a brow under his mask when a really sexy looking blond stopped before him. This was not Ino.

"Want to dance?" she asked but didn't give him time to answer as she pulled him onto the dance floor.

This girl was good. So very good. Better than Ino which meant she was better than Temari even though he didn't take her anywhere. Suddenly she stopped, patted him on the jaw and pushed away from him leaving him in the middle of the crowd. He watched her walk over to another man. He guessed that meant she was a drifter until she pulled both their masks off.

He couldn't help gaping openly as Temari planted a kiss on Kiba's cheek awfully close to the mouth. What the heck?

Kiba smiled at her returned a kiss to her forehead. He whispered. "I see you decided to play."

"It's not a dangerous game is it?" she asked innocently putting the mask back onto his face.

"I don't like being someone's toy."

"Good neither do I. Let's just do this our way."

"What is it that we're doing?"

"Hanging out as friends."

"Good choice."

"What? You want more?"

"Not sure if you could handle me."

"Could you handle me?"

"Definitely."

"Let's hope it doesn't get to that without my one condition."

"Are we talking about the same thing? I know I'm talking about us being friends and all but what are you talking about. Be careful what you think Temari."

"We are talking about the same thing Kiba we will remain friends."

"Then don't kiss me."

"I-" Temari bagan only to be cut off by Kiba.

"Don't speak, get drunk."

XXX

So, getting drunk might not have been the best idea when you had killer paper work to do the next day.

'I'm going to kill Kiba.' Temari thought darkly stabbing the desk with her pen. Her head was splitting open right down the middle no matter what she took. To make it worse Shikamaru was downright miserable and wouldn't stop glaring at her thoughtfully. She didn't even know if that was even possible. Then to top it off Kiba was just his usual chipper self. Not fair.

"What exactly is it you're doing with Kiba?" Shikamaru suddenly asked.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Temari glared at him.

"Last night."

"I told you I was busy."

"Why Kiba?"

"He's fun and you're a stick in the mud. Now shut it." Temari told him pulling the pen out of the table to continued her work.

"Troublesome." the master of lazy grumbled

"Only because you're jealous!" Temari snapped. Slamming her pen down, she stood abruptly. "I'm taking a break."

Shikamaru watched her leave in slight shock. That had not been expected and that just confirmed an idea he had. It was really the only logical idea he had.

Temari on the other hand had left the building but the sun was getting to her. She slipped into an alley and moved all the way to the back around a corner were there was actual shade she stood silently for a moment. She was slowly calming down when someone she hadn't heard from in a long time came up.

Booze Temari.

'Sup girl? Long time no talk.' the overly excited alcohol induced voice said in her head. Just great.

'Oh no. What epiphany are you gonna try and push on me now?' Temari mentally asked with a groan. She must have been seriously drunk for Boozy to come out. It's ironic that Boozy actually made sense even if she was brought on by something that made you absolutely senseless.

'Oh that's easy.' Boozy began.'"the state of your emotional stability and the case of your love life.'

'Please no.'

'I'm not going away until you realise my rightness!'

'Fine. Start. Let's get this over with.'

'You dated the wrong guy.' she said and Temari snorted.

'I could tell you that.'

'You should have dated Kiba.'

'What?'

'You should have dated Kiba. You liked him first.'

'You're crazy.'

'I'm right.'

'No you aren't.'

'Oh come on back when we were the bad guys you can't say you didn't think he was cute. Cute in an odd but cute way. I mean the dude wore his puppy in his clothes and on his head.

'He was kinda cute.' she admitted.

'You spied on his teams training once because you had a tiny crush on him that you claimed you didn't and have been in denial since.'

'I don't remember that.'

'That because you decided to push it to the back of your head and conveniently forget but you do remember. I know, I'm your conscience. You can't tell me you don't remember his awesome skills and the after training bath down by the river where-'

'Ok! I remember just don't repeat it.'

'Good cause if you remember then, imagine now.'

'Stop.'

'Just saying and don't forget how proud you were when Kankuro told you about the fight with the twin creep.'

'...I remember...'

'Admit it Temari you really like him. One of the reasons you blocked it out was because he was too young then and you thought it would be weird then. What's three years to you now? One guy flipped back in your face already and personally I believe it was because you went with the second guy first and he's not even older than the first guy. You should try for the first guy now before it becomes too late.'

Temari thought about it for a moment as she continued pushing herself up from the back of the alley. She pushed herself slowly around the corner. She looked up and immediately flung herself back around the corner.

'Was that Kiba?' Temari thought bringing the image of what she saw come back. Kiba had a terrified man by the collar with the long sharp nails on his man beast transformation pressed against his neck and a sadistic grin that was only so greatly intensified by his massive canines. Not the mention the ruffled snarling Akamaru by his side.

"Dang girl, he's even hot when he's scaring the living daylight out of some one!" her inner voice screamed and she gripped two of her puffs as her head ache shot skywards.

"What are you doing?" asked a voice from above her. She looked up to see Kiba leaning against the wall beside her. Temari gave him a horrified look. "If you're wondering about that guy he was an over excited pervert that was bothering Hinata."

Temari hung her head but didn't answer. Her head suddenly felt like it was being closed in. Kiba leaned to wards her a little.

"Temari? Are you alright?" he asked but still received no answer. Her head was really starting to get to her and the painkiller wasn't even helping. He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes with worry. He slapped her on the arm and her eyes widened as she came back to the present.

"Oww!" she growled out before bringing a hand up to tenderly touch her head.

"Are you alright?" he asked again and she waved a hand at him to say she was fine. "What were you doing?"

"Listening to alcohol talk."


	3. We'll Figure It Out... Maybe

Chapter 3- We'll figure something out...maybe.

Kiba had always thought that girls did things in different ways but this was ridiculous. Not only was Temari doing more paper work but she was also munching on spicy food while squeezing an annoyingly multicolored spongy kunai. Both he and Shikamaru watched as she made quick work of her stack of papers.

"What exactly is she doing?" he finally asked Shikamaru.

Shikamaru gave him a blank stare and a shrug before slouching over to his stack. "We have many claims and contracts and so on to go over for the chunin exams."

"Your jobs suck." Kiba commented pushing his hands into his pockets. Finding Temari in that alley like that had really had him worried. Did drinking really do her that badly? No more wild parties then. But last night had been fun, who knew she could move like that? He had to think of other ways to take her out and help her forget about Shikamaru. On second thought maybe the club was still a good idea just less alcohol.

"Don't you have something to do?" Shikamaru suddenly asked and Kiba looked at him blankly for a second.

"Oh right! Deliveries!" he exclaimed suddenly remembering the bag strapped to Akamaru. He jumped over and dug into it. "I have some papers for you. A few scrolls too."

"Troublesome." Shikamaru groaned but waited wincing when Kiba dropped the stack in his hands.

"Sorry, if I'm the bearer of more work but we have to get back to work." Kiba said cheerily ruffling Akamaru's fur. The nin-dog gave a happy yip and moved to nudge Temari in the side. She petted him softly with the hand that had been squeezing the kunai. Kiba grinned as Shikamaru watched on in seemingly boredom with calculating eyes analyzing the situation.

"See you later Temari, Shikamaru. Let's go Akamaru." Kiba said calling Akamaru to him. Akamaru whined but pulled himself away from Temari to follow him out. Shikamaru watched Temari continue her madness with the kunai and the food. Today would be a long day.

Kiba caught up with Temari while she was on her way home. He draped an arm over her shoulders. She glared at him half-heartedly and he grinned back.

"Hey, are you better yet?" he asked squeezing her shoulder.

"Yea, I'm fine." she said tiredly.

"Great, cause we're going to dinner!" he said and before she could protest he pulled her onto Akamaru behind him. She held on tightly as the nin-dog took off down the street.

"What are you doing?" she asked loud enough for him to hear over the sound of the wind.

"Taking you to an impromptu dinner. Don't worry you'll like it." he shouted back at her.

"What if I'm not hungry?" she asked and he showed her a wolfish grin over his shoulder. He didn't bother to answer but Temari had a feeling she would have ended up going anyway.

They stopped before a neat restaurant cafe on the out skirts of the market place. It wasn't a very busy place but was relatively full. Kiba led her into the restaurant and moved her towards an empty table by a window.

"What would you like?" he asked

"To go home." she answered.

"Sorry, that's not on the menu." Kiba said not taking his eyes off her.

"Jerk." she commented.

"Chicken or pork?" he asked again and she raised a brow at him. She leaned across the table.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want jerk chicken or jerk pork?"

"Jerk?"

"It's a style of cooking meat." he said then smiled at her. "It's really tasty. You'll really like it."

"I guess I can stay then. You're paying though."

"I was going to anyway." Kiba said rolling his eyes. After ordering their meal he sat idly watching Temari as she gazed through the window with a look of utter boredom.

"Your eye colour is so weird." he suddenly stated. She frowned at him.

"Your eyes are so weird."

"Clan trait." he said shrugging it off. "What's your reason?"

"Genetics?"

"Eww. Don't even bother explaining that, I'll lose my appetite." he said disdainfully and she laughed.

"I couldn't explain it to you either."

"You're pretty."

"Are you ok? Is it random statement day or something?" she asked and he nodded.

"Just making conversation." he said and she nodded in suspicion. "So about you problem, have you thought of your own way to deal with it or do you still need my help?"

Temari frowned thoughtfully. She hadn't really been thinking of anything. She'd had a hangover for crying out loud. She mentally cursed herself for not working on something.

"I guess not." Kiba muttered absently leaning a little to rub the fur around Akamaru's neck. The nin-dog was lying comfortably on the floor by his feet already half asleep but still alert. "I have been thinking of somethings but I'm still trying to find one that will really work. Don't worry. I got you."

Usually Temari doesn't trust anybody outside of family (Shikamaru was a shining beacon of why not to) but surprisingly, she found herself perfectly at ease with the idea.

"Thanks." she said with a small smile. He grinned.

"No problem. Now I think our meal is coming."

"So what do you want to do? When are you going back home?" Kiba asked. They were walking back from their dinner or 'dinner date' as the lovely waitress had assumed. Kiba was walking beside Temari and Akamaru was just a little before them.

"Well since we finished up so much today, I should be able to leave by tomorrow a little before noon." Temari answered calculating how long it would take for the rest of the paper work to be complete. That would take a day off the expected completion time."

"Wow." Kiba slipping into a thoughtful look. "Don't have much time left."

Temari watched him think for a bit before he suddenly stopped. Temari raised a brow at him. Akamaru looked back at them. He whined softly. Kiba suddenly snapped back to reality.

I have an idea of how you could spend your last few hours here. You don't mind staying just a little later, do you?"

"No. I don't mind leaving in the afternoon." she answered then smiled "Besides it will irritate the guards if I'm not around when I should be leaving. What do you have planned?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out tomorrow." he answered with a cheesy grin. Temari glared at him.

"I want to know now."

"How about we race to your hotel and if you win I'll tell you but if I win... Well, I'll decide that later."

Temari narrowed her eyes in suspicion while he grinned back at her. In seconds she was feet away shouting back at him. "Ok!"

He watched her run off and shook his head. He would have told her there was a shortcut.


	4. Officially? Yes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has a lot of pieces because I knew they had to be in it but I couldn't figure out how to lengthen them and I didn't think I should put them in a separate chapter. Besides there is a sequence of events

Chapter 4 - Officially? Yes

"How good are you with dogs?"

"I don't know. I'm ok with Akamaru... There aren't many dogs in Suna." she answered slightly miffed at the sudden question. They had been walking for awhile is a comfortable silence and she had just been taking in the scenery of yet another section of Konoha that she had not been to before. He smiled broadly.

"One way to find out." he said and stopped before a tall gate. He pushed it open to the sound of dogs barking and a few squealing children. "Welcome to the Inuzuka compound."

Temari looked around in wonder at the many houses with the huge yard. A few children ran past with their little puppies following behind or in their arms.

"Come on. Hana isn't here right now but Mom should be around somewhere." he said grabbing her hand to pull her along behind him. He led her through the house nearest them. It was simple and comfortably furnished. This is my house in case you're wondering. It's easier to just walk through it than to walk around."

Temari nodded barely paying attention. This was his house and she was in it. Was she even supposed to be here? Would she have been welcome if other people were here? Who's Hana?

He led her out through the back door and she stopped to take in the view before her. Houses were scattered across a large plot of land and in the centre was a huge space that was mostly dirt from the generations of children that had played there and were currently playing there.

"It's big." she finally commented.

"You wouldn't believe that it's not even half the size of the Hyuga compound then." he said folding his arms.

"Seriously?" she asked shocked. He gave her a look that said 'does it seem like I'm lying?'

She was struck by the simplicity of the houses and how fun loving and happy everyone seemed. She didn't have much more time to watch before Kiba began pulling her along in the opposite direction. He pulled her towards a building off to the side.

"Where are we going?" she asked and he smiled at her. He jogged up to the door, still pulling her behind him. He pushed the door open.

"This, my dear, is the vet." he said and they stepped in to a clean waiting room like place. Akamaru was lying at the counter. He looked up when they entered and stood. He went over to a small section off the room that was boxed off and Kiba met him there. Temari followed him over. She looked down into the small box to see a small golden bundle. Kiba reached in and took up the bundle that uncurled itself into a puppy.

"We found him yesterday." he told her. She marvelled at his small size and fur that was almost the same colour of her hair. "He's still a little young so he's not that big and he needs a bottle to feed. Want to hold him?"

Temari snapped herself away from the big almost dark blue eyes of the very sleepy puppy. "Do what?"

"Hold him." he answered already handing the puppy to her. "Just hold him like you'd hold a baby."

"Ok." she mumbled taking the puppy. He instantly licked her. Kiba smiled and Temari giggled as the puppy continued to lick her.

"You win Akamaru, he does like her, you'll get your jerky." Kiba said to the huge dog. Temari gaped at them.

"You bet on him liking me?"

"What? He doesn't generally like anyone and Akamaru was saying he'd like you so yea, we made a bet."

"What were you going to get if you won?"

"Some of my cousins have been begging to ride him for some time now. He'd have to be their ride for the day."

"Cruel." Temari commented then turned her attention to the puppy. "Isn't he just cruel?"

"He's hungry; I'm going around the back to find his food." Kiba told her with a laugh. He walked away and through a door not far away.

"You're probably the cutest little puppy I've seen." Akamaru whined disagreeing. She smiled at him. "You were cute too. It's just he's cuter and you're not a puppy anymore."

Akamaru huffed and went to follow Kiba. Temari shook her head and followed him in to the other room. It was lined with shelves loaded with supplies and there was a table and a sink to the side but space in the middle. Kiba was busy over the sink attending to a bottle.

"Just sit anywhere on the floor. He likes it better down there." he told her and she did as he said with Akamaru also lying down beside her. Kiba soon came and sat beside her. He handed the bottle to her. "Just like a baby."

'Mommy and Daddy.' Akamaru commented with a dogfish smirk and Kiba glared at him.

"Yea right." he said then suddenly his face went slack. "I've got it!"

"What?" Temari asked shocked by the sudden exclamation.

"Your solution." he said brightly. "It should have come to me yesterday when that waitress said 'date'. We could go out; we pretty much already are but that not what I'm talking about. You need to date someone, preferably me because some other guy would be too hard to find and might hurt you just as bad, plus I've already made a promise to help you, so it makes sense. It doesn't have to be real dating, we don't know if you're ready for that yet."

"You'd be my boyfriend?" she asked trying to take in all that he was saying.

"Yea, I guess." he said and she stared at him.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You said 'yes' not yea."

"Yea?"

"You're being serious."

"I know I am." he said and she just stared at him. He ignored the look and continued. "We can make it a game."

"A game?"

"Yea. We would be dating but nobody has to know we are. Sure they can know you're dating someone but imagine how confused they'd be if they didn't know who. We could try to see how long it would take them to figure it out. Then since I won't be doing my 'extra activities' there-"

"You won't be doing that?" Temari interrupted surprised.

"I like to honour my commitments you know." he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'This is it woman! Take it!' a voice suspiciously like Boozy's exclaimed in Temari's head.

Kiba continued. "There will be the confusion of that too and then we can try to see how long it will take for them to figure that out and that the two mysteries are related. What do you think?"

"Sounds interesting." a voice said from the door. They both spun to look.

"Mom?"

Shikamaru watched as Kiba and Temari headed towards the gates with Akamaru and a little puppy that Temari carried. More and more his thoughts were confirmed. His one logical reason was right, it had to be. If it wasn't, this would be the most illogical thing he could be faced with.

Had he been stupid or just not careful enough? Neither. He had been lazy. Too lazy to break up. Too lazy to argue, to push away. He had just given in to Ino. Sure everything went easier that some break ups where the girls really came at you with claws. Now that would have been troublesome. This one hadn't even seemed to have much if any attachment. Had she been with Kiba all along? That would be logical but also illogical. Logical because that would explain her lack of prolonged reaction at the end of their relationship. Illogical because well they had spent every waking moment together that they could. Where could Kiba have been? So obviously the only obviously logical answer was that this was revenge and Kiba probably didn't even know it. Unfortunately for Shikamaru the revenge was doing its job. But everything would be better when Kiba got sacked and Temari was free. He wouldn't have to see them anywhere near each other!

"Shikamaru!" Ino screamed slapping him on the arm. He winced and turned irritated eyes on her. She was glaring and pouting. "The bags?"

He hissed and muttered "Troublesome." but picked them up any way. Where the heck had those too been coming from anyway?

"I guess this is the beginning..." Temari commented when they finally got to the gates. The small guard that was supposed to be waiting wasn't there.

"Yea of your trip home and the tons of fun we're going to have." he said with a smile.

"I just realised something. I haven't seen any of the girls."

"Well Hinata went with Sakura and her team on a mission, team Gai's been gone for little over a week now, and well Ino's here but I doubt you want to see her." he said ticking off each one. Temari frowned at the mention of Ino.

"You're right I don't."

"Remember you can tell your brother since my mom knows."

"Not going to. It will be more fun. I can just imagine their little overprotective faces." she said and they laughed.

"Temari-sama." a sand ninja said as the rest of her guard appeared. There were three of them in all. "Where were you?"

"Around." she answered vaguely looking over her shoulder at them. "Are you finally ready now?"

"Whenever you are."

"Good." Temari said then turned back to Kiba as she shifted the puppy, now named Sanji, in her arms. "About Sanji. What am I supposed to do again?"

"Since it's a three day trip I put enough food in the bag. Instructions are there on the preparation of his food. He should be able to eat on his own by next week so you can start feeding him normal but with softer food." Kiba told her handing the bag to her. "He's had all his shot except one but that's not due for the next two weeks. You should be back by then right?"

"Yea the weeks will be like that for awhile with the chunin exam coming up." she nodded.

"Then he should be good." Kiba said smiling. "He is to everywhere you go and sleep with you in your room. He has nightmares so make sure."

The guards looked at him with scepticism that was covered by professionalism. Dogs having nightmares? They were shocked that Temari took it all in without batting an eye

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++.

Kiba walked the usually way to the training ground that he and Akamaru usually used for private training. He had already sensed the intruder but kept walking as if he hadn't. Beside him Akamaru looked at him wondering at his lack of acknowledgement, wondering if his master didn't know about their visitor.

"Kiba." the person finally said bringing Kiba to a stop.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were too lazy to open your mouth and let words out." Kiba said smirking. Shikamaru gave him a lazy look and stood from his sitting place by a tree.

"I know what's happening." he began. It would take too much time and energy to beat around the bush. Kiba eyed him wearily. He couldn't have figured it out already, could he? "I'm just here to warn you."

"Warn me?" Kiba asked genuinely shocked and confused and definitely curious.

"I know about your relationship. There are bound to be some loose ends especially now. I don't want you to hurt her -"

Kiba's eyes flashed. "Like you did?" Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly as he was interrupted. "Yes I'm aware of 'that' as pretty much everyone should by now. You did the damage and I'm picking up the pieces, so don't tell me 'I don't want you to hurt her'. You did that already. Tell that to yourself."

He took stepped towards Shikamaru until he was right before him, tempted to grab him by the front of his clothes. "Let ME warn YOU Nara, if you so much as whisper about this to anyone, especially to your little flower girl, you'll find you head sticking out of the ground."

Shikamaru didn't contest but merely nodded. Kiba had said 'flower girl' with such vehemence it stung. Not to mention that he was very sure Kiba would carry out his threat. Just because his head would be sticking out of the ground did not mean the rest of his body would be connected.

After the long travel from Konoha to Suna, Temari finally made it up to the Kazekage's office. She was let in instantly. She stepped in to see Gaara sitting behind his desk and Kankuro leaning against the wall. They seemed to have been in deep conversation when she entered. She smiled at them.

"Hello! Here's my report." she said walking up to the desk and handing the scroll to Gaara. As he opened it she turned her attention to Kankuro. "How have things been since I was gone?"

"He's still over working himself. Won't listen to me much. Thank goodness you've come to start mothering him." he answered smiling. He pushed himself off the wall to hug her.

"You should try harder to get him to rest and stop depending on me." she said poking him hard in his shoulder.

"I try he doesn't listen." Kankuro defended. Gaara was trying his best to ignore them talking about him as if he wasn't there.

"Take him up, throw him in his room and lock him in there if you have to." Temari argued and Gaara cleared his throat without looking up from his report, to remind her that yes, he was still here and didn't need to be hearing this. Kankuro and Temari both smirked.

"How was your little mission?"

"Well I caught Shikamaru cheating on me with his teammate." she began. Gaara looked up sharply and Kankuro was suddenly serious.

"He did what?" Kankuro asked anger leaking into his voice.

"Don't worry. I got over it and now I have a new boyfriend. He's just the best. We had so much fun." Temari told them happily. Kankuro raised a brow at her while Gaara's frown only got deeper. "Well if that's all I'm gonna head home 'cause I'm really tired now. You just read that report Gaara. If you have any questions or whatever just ask me when you get home."

The brothers watched as she walked happily to the door. She was half way out when she looked back at them before going through the door.

"Oh and we have a new member to the family. He's just the cutest." she watched as the paled. Man, did she just love messing with them.

"Hey Baki." they heard her call as she left down the hall. Baki walked into the room a second later.

"What's up with her?"

"We have several matters to discuss." Gaara began, steeping his fingers before him. "One, revenge on one Nara we all know. Two, a plan to find out who this new 'boyfriend' of hers is and how to destroy him. Finally, three, what does she mean by 'new addition'


	5. Back Again

Chapter 5 - Back again

The lush greenery of Konoha's forest welcomed Temari back from Suna. That and her pink haired friend. After passing the gate guards she came to stand before the girl. Sakura quickly hugged her.

"I can't believe I wasn't here when you came the last time." she said. She was possibly Temari's best friend here. It was either Sakura or Ten-Ten. Hinata was so sweet too. Temari had never liked Ino too much just enough. Now that 'enough' had sunk to 'not much.'

"I was a little surprised too." Temari said pulling out of the hug. "Shouldn't you be at the hospital?"

"Yea but it's my lunch break and I heard that you were supposed to be coming back today." Sakura told her all smiles. The smiles soon gave way to a concerned look. "I heard. It's got to suck beyond everything. I'm sorry I wasn't there to be there. I would have knocked her skull clean off!"

Temari laughed. "You wouldn't have, she's your best friend.

"I knock Naruto in the head all the time. Pity it has no effect."

"Girl best-friends are different from guy best-friends."

"He's not my best friend." Sakura said in denial. Temari rolled her eyes. "I still would have hurt her for you."

"It's ok. She did me a favour," Sakura raised a brow as if to say 'have you cracked your head?' but Temari continued now smiling. "She opened my eyes."

"Do you have a fever? There's this really nasty-"

"I'm fine. It's just now I have a boyfriend that's so much better."

"Already?"

"Since two weeks ago almost three."

"Wow."

"I don't know how I didn't see it before. It's like he was right in front of me." Temari said gesturing forward where Sakura stood.

"Hey!" a voice shouted from behind Sakura. Temari froze with her hand still in her gesturing and Sakura seeped aside to look at the source.

'Oh the irony.' Temari thought mentally shaking her head. Hinata was running towards them pulling Kiba and Shino along behind her. Akamaru was not far behind. Naruto was, surprisingly, behind them walking at a slower pace and sulking. The ironic part of it was that Kiba was in line perfectly with the hand that she had been using to gesticulate.

"Hinata!" both girls said surprised as it was their usually shy friend that had shouted. They shouldn't have been too surprised because they had spent a tremendous amount of time helping her get over her shyness but these things were still surprising.

"Hey, nice to see you again Temari." Hinata said when she stopped before them. Kiba and Shino pulled their hands out of her grip.

"Temari." Shino greeted with a nod as he calmly rubbed his wrist where Hinata had been holding him.

"Hey, what's up?" Kiba said also rubbing his wrist. He winced. "This is going to hurt for a while Hinata. You almost pulled it."

"I'm sorry but you could have just come along like I asked." she said and Kiba glared at her. She smiled shyly at him. He looked away and began grumbling darkly to himself about how she was being manipulative with her shy looks. She ignored him and turned back to Temari. "So have you reported to the hokage yet?"

"No but I'll be going that way soon. It's nice to see you being such a big girl now." Temari said then looked past her at Naruto who hadn't said anything as yet. "Um Naruto?"

"Hey Temari."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." he replied.

"Is something wrong?"

"He was being stupid so I told him I was going to ban him from ramen if he didn't behave and not attack Shikamaru or smother you."

Oh." When did you get so much authority?

Now Hinata blushed.

"She sees everything!"

"No, I don't." she said and he nodded

"Of course you do and if I have any ramen you'll make Sakura attack me as punishment." he said in horror.

"I don't attack people!" Sakura said getting angry now. Kiba, Akamaru and Shino took steps closer to Temari and away from the others. Kiba turned his attention to Temari and away from the bickering two and Hinata.

"Soooo... How's Sanji?" Kiba asked pulling Temari's attention away as well. She smiled at the mention of her puppy.

"He's alright. He's so cute. He almost bit Kankuro; he must not like the face paint because he was fine when Kankuro didn't have it on. He just loves Gaara. Half the time he just wanted to curl up in Gaara's robes. They're cute together. Gaara never had a pet before so a cute puppy was nice for him. I thought about getting him a parrot once but then he'd probably kill it for being too annoying especially if it keeps repeating what he says." Temari paused in her ranting and looked to see both boys staring at her with eyebrows raised.

"So where is he?" Kiba asked brushing it off and keeping his thought of how adorable her ranting was to himself.

"In his basket sleeping; He sleeps a lot." she said

"Which basket?"

"That one." she answered pointing to one being carried by one of her guards.

"Why are they carrying him? You debt seem like someone who would let other people carry her...baggage." Shino asked brows furrowed in thought.

"They kept insisting and being annoying. Men." she answered him and rolled her eyes. He looked off into the distance with the same thoughtful look.

"Maybe they would have found you too attractive with a basket on your hip."

"Aww that's so cute, Shino." she said and him looked at her with an expression that could only be classified as shocked. "Don't look so shocked. It's cute for you to imply such a thing."

"He has a point though." Kiba said and Temari seemed to think about it. He motioned to the guard with the basket using his head. "You do remember he has to get his shots, right?"

"Yea. I was planning to just go straight there. I even sent the guards captain to hand in the report for me." she told him as she motioned for the guard with the basket to come to her.

"I'll just go with you. I have to go do some stuff with mom anyway." he said and smiled at the now awake and barking Sanji. He took the puppy from the basket as Temari dismissed her guards. "Wazzup? You're surprisingly clean for being in the desert. Who's been having a lot of baths?"

"You're treating him like a baby." Temari laughed and Shino watched on. Akamaru let out a laughing bark and turned to leave.

"He is a baby, just not a human baby." Kiba told her also turning to follow Akamaru. He looked back at the three that were still bickering and shook his head. "Let's just go they won't miss us."

"I will be going in the opposite direction. Why? I have a mission to collect." Shino stated and Temari stared at him blankly.

"Yea, see you later." Kiba said waving his old teammate goodbye. Temari followed him as Shino began walking in his own direction. Naruto, Hinata and Sakura were none the wiser. Temari rolled her eyes at their continued antics. They could be so childish sometimes.

"Would you believe me if I told you I missed you?" Kiba asked when they were far enough away. Temari blinked at him.

"No, not really."

"I wasn't talking to you." Kiba told her looking away from Sanji.

"Ouch." Temari said belatedly then punched him on the arm.

"Hey! I missed you too!" she exclaimed defensively before pitting Sanji down to clutch him arm. The excited puppy merely ran to catch up to Akamaru as he yipped happily.

"The damage is already done."

"But I'm telling the truth. It's not like you missed me so really you shouldn't be arguing." he reasoned still clutching his arm. She pouted.

"And if I said I did?" she asked and Kiba smirked at her.

"That would make me a lot happier."

"Well I didn't."

"Sure you didn't." he said sarcastically and she glared at him. It wasn't right to have so much fun arguing like this. Normal people in normal relationship wouldn't have so much fun but then they were ninjas in a relationship that doubled as a game. That's not a normal thing.

"We're here." Kiba said bringing her out of her thoughts. She smiled and he raised a brow at her quizzically as they passed through the gate behind Akamaru and Sanji. She might as well accept the fact that normal was not going to be in this like it had with Shikamaru and this was bound to be more fun. She grinned at him broadly and he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Suddenly she laughed and skipped into his house. Kiba stared after her with a bewildered look on his face. Women. You could never understand them.

He entered the house to find Temari talking with Tsume, his mother. They were talking pretty good. It seemed like Tsume had taken a liking to the girl which was a little surprising since Tsume didn't get on well with most people. Smiling he went to sit with them in the kitchen. They spoke in detail about the reactions of Kankuro and Gaara, laughing at all the funny details such as the looks on their faces, and laughed even more at their antics to try and find out who this 'mystery guy' was.

"They aren't going to give up for now." Temari finally told them as they calmed down from hearing about Kankuro's attempt to break into her room.

"If they did it wouldn't be fun." Kiba told her with a grin.

"You kids are going to have to be careful. The Kazakage has connections." Tsume said seriously then grinned and clapped them on the back." Good luck and keep me posted."

"You're just loving the drama aren't you?" Kiba said as she got up to leave.

"Naturally." she smirked at him. When she left Kiba turned his attention to Temari and silently admired her. She had really nice hair je was definitely going to run his hand through that sometime soon, probably pull a tie or two...or all. Definitely on his to-do list.

"What's with the staring? Why are you smiling?" Temari asked with a raised brow. He smiled even brighter as she gave him a look of utter suspicion.

"I had an idea while you were away from me and left me lonely." he said and she rolled her eyes at the 'left me lonely'. Yea right.

"And what kind of idea was that?"

"I could give you something that you must wear at all times. It doesn't have to be seen but when it is it could serve as a clue." he answered and she seemed to consider it. "The other reason to wear it is to symbolise that you belong to me and since I'm supposed to be getting something too, I belong to you."

"It's an idea." she said her eyes narrowing at the idea of belonging to a person. "I'll do it but I do not belong to you."

"Hey. I'm honouring this commitment you should too."

"I am."

"Well commit more. I'm willing to be committed this much you should too."

"I'm not." she said stubbornly with a growl and Kiba sighed.

"We'll eventually get to a point when we can belong to each other."


	6. Right Under Their Noses

If I said last time was the last time for awhile, sorry, this is the last time for awhile. Turns out I could finish a chaper in the few days before school starts tomorrow. Anyway, hope you like it.

Chapter 6 - Right under their noses.

Naruto ran quickly towards the training grounds where he had asked everyone to meet. This was insanely important. He skidded into the training grounds and nearly careened right into Ten-Ten.

"Watch it Naruto! Be careful." she said with a smile. He smiled apologetically before looking at the others gathered there. All of team Kuranai and team Gai were there. Shikamaru and Chouji were there along with Sakura and Sasuke . Naruto himself had hauled Sasuke back to the village almost a year before. It had been hell but they all pretty much got along with him now even if sometimes he wasn't on the the top of their list of who to talk to. He never quite got rid of his attitude.

"So why exactly are we here?" Neji asked wanting to get this over with.

"Well I got this letter from Gaara." Naruto began, raising said letter as proof. "He's doing well but he's asking us a favour."

Now they were curious. All attention was directed to Naruto as Chouji asked "What kind of favour?"

"Well, he's having some problems and wants us to do a kind of recognisance mission. Top secret private stuff that he needs all of us working like crazy on."

"He could have just put in a mission request." Shikamaru stated with a sigh.

"It's personal." Naruto defended.

"Yet he's trusting all of us with it?" Kiba commented with a skeptical look.

"Well yea. Got a problem?" Naruto snapped.

"Yea. Wanna go? Bring it blondie!" Kiba said with a vicious grin. Sasuke grabbed Naruto by his jacket to keep him from moving.

"Just tell us the mission dobe." he said before crossing his arms once again with a glare. Naruto huffed and muttered for a moment before continuing.

"He wants us to find out who's Temari's boyfriend cause she won't tell him or Kankuro." Naruto finally said and the others stared at him blankly. Shikamaru's eyes drifted to Kiba's face and was surprised to see a slightly surprised face turn to a small smile that seemed to go unnoticed by everyone else.

"That's it?" Neji asked breaking the silence. Naruto nodded.

"I'm not doing it. If the girls doesn't want to tell anyone not even her brothers why should I pry. We'll find out eventually." Kiba said throwing his arms behind his head with a frown. Shikamaru watched him bored yet slightly thoughtful look.

"Kiba's right Naruto." Hinata stated with a frown. "It wouldn't be right."

"Can't say I'd want to do that either." Chouji stated crossing his hands across his chest. He had lost enough weight to even be considered slim but it was all muscle now. His hair had gotten longer as well. "Temari's cool and all but if she finds out were spying on her, which she will, were all going to die. I'd rather not die yet."

"He's right she'd be beyond ticked." Ten-ten frowned while Neji didn't seem particularly inclined to participate either.

"I'm ticked and it's not me." Sakura fumed and Naruto inched away from her slightly.

"I don't believe that this is something we should do. Why? It is invasion of her privacy and betrayal of her trust."

"Besides it wouldn't be youthful, would it Lee?" Ten-ten commented turning to her green clad teammate. Lee immediately shook his head vigourously as rivers of tears rolled down his face. He gesticulated wildly but no-one understood him.

"What up with him?" Kiba asked at this weird behaviour that wasn't normal for the normal weird ninja.

"Last mission put him on mute for a while." Neji answered with a smirk. Enjoy it while it lasts.

"Neji." Ten-Ten said as she glared at him. He shrugged and they got back to the matter at hand. No one realised that Shilamaru had yet to say something... except Kiba of course.

"You're all looking at this the wrong way." Naruto told them. "Think about this from their point of view. Their one and only sister trampled and stepped on by someone that ought to care. No offence Shikamaru."

The lazy nin shrugged with a non committal grunt.

"Then she runs off and finds some new jerk that they don't know about. With no tine to heal from the horrid feat of a broken heart. No offence Shikamaru." Naruto continued and Shikamaru sighed but gave him a bored nod to continue. "Yea. They were unable to protect her and defend her from the bastard that shredded her! No offence Shikamaru."

Shikamaru groaned. This had to be his form of veiled revenge: guilt. A ninja is not supposed to feel guilt. Naruto's not supposed to be like this. What happen to the nice guy?

"So now they want to find out everything about this guy that suddenly sweeps their precious, precious, precious, sister off her feet so they can protect her and defend her from all that he could ever do to her." Naruto finally said with a far off gaze. There was silence as if they were all mesmerised by his speech.

"I'm in." Sakura stated with renewed spirit and Ten-Ten immediately agreed. Anything to help a friend. Neji nodded his assent along with a silent yet 'youthful' hurrah! from Lee.

"I'm still not going." Kiba stated with a slight frown. Did these people never think of what exactly 'protecting' and 'defending' their sister entailed? It certain carried a lot of pain.

"Neither will I." Shino agreed on the grounds that it still didn't feel right for him to spy on his friend even if they didn't speak much.

"Well the rest of us are. Right?" Naruto said and received various forms of agreement from the others. Kiba rolled his eyes before locking eyes with Shikamaru. His eyes read doom to the betrayer of the secret just as he had promised before. Shikamaru got the message very clearly hiding a shiver that threatened to travel across his body. He'd really hate to be the enemy of the feral Inuzuka.

"Yea well you guys have fun. Don't get caught now!" Kiba said pulling his eyes away to look around at the others with a smile. He and Shino walked away from the group.

"They were conned." Shino commented when they were a great enough distance away not to be heard. He had a frown etched onto the visible parts of his face at the complete changing of stance that had taken place. Kiba however smirked out of his rage of sight.

"Very much so."

"Those over-protective jerks! That con-artist! Who knew that little blond had it in him!" Temari ranted after hearing the story from Kiba. They were both in her hotel room. She paced before him as she continued to rave. He watched in amusement as she argued about being undermined by her own brothers. Suddenly she stopped and turned to him with a glare. "What are you smiling at?"

"I have a plan, an extremely fun plan." he said as his smile spread to a grin and he leaned forward in his seat in the sofa. Temari raised a weary brow at him. "How good are you with transformations?"

The undercover search team had split up into groups of twos except for Sakura and Sasuke's team that had Lee with them. Naruto and Hinata where just doing their rounds of the marketplace area when Naruto suddenly groaned.

"This would be so much easier if those two hadn't left!" he muttered looking around with a pouting frown. They both stopped by an ice-cream stand that a civilian couple was standing at. "They knew they were best for this, they're the trackers. They did this on purpose so we would take forever to find the guy!"

"I'm helping Naruto. I'm a tracker too." Hinata said with a small smile as she tried to comfort him. She'd always try to help, especially him.

"Yea but you can't find them. You don't have the ability. You can't do it like they can." Naruto said still in a grouchy mood. Hinata looked hurt but he didn't see it. He didn't see the glare that the 'civilian' man shot at him along with an irritated once over either. The 'civilian' woman pulled at the man sleeve to his attention back to her.

"Kiba don't blow our cover." she whispered covering it with a small smile. She was dress in a nice kimono and had her long brown hair caught up in a loose but neat bun. And her eyes were a soft creamy brown almost the colour of the ice-cream in her hands.

"Remind me to kill him for hurting Hinata's self-confidence later." Kiba growled just loud enough for her to hear and took a lick of his ice-cream. He was disguised as a black haired young man with sea-green eyes.

"You have cream on your face." Temari smiled at him and reached up with a paper napkin to wipe it off.

"You can't sniff out who she's been with the most or any one that has her scent on him. You can't track her with your own brand of tracking devices. It's useless." Naruto continued and Kiba stiffened as Hinata looked even more depressed. Temari mentally slapped herself when Kiba turned to the pair of ninja. Naruto and his big mouth.

"Excuse me there Mr. Ninja." Kiba began calling both Naruto and Hinata's attention. Temari laced an arm through Kiba's and they both smiled at their oblivious friends. Temari took a tentative lick of her ice-cream as Kiba began. "I couldn't help but over hear your conversation. I know you're all supposed to be really tough but you're still human enough to have feelings so can't you see you're depressing the girl?"

"I'm not depressing her I'm just saying I need a proper tracker." Naruto said in his defence and Hinata blushed in embarrassment. He needed a 'proper' ninja, did she not classify? Kiba, Hinata and Temari thought. Even Temari was ticked now but decided to hide her scowl by licking her really nice three scoop ice-cream.

"Well isn't she a tracker?" Kiba asked trying to stop his ticking brow from moving.

"Well yea but I don't want her tracking skills." Naruto said. He was just on a row.

'Man, he must love digging his grave.' Temari thought sneaking a look at Kiba's face. He was definitely not pleased.

"Aren't there different types of trackers?" Kiba asked through gritted teeth and thoughtfully licked his ice-cream with a raised brow.

"Yes but-"

"Then obviously she isn't the type of tracker you need! Go get the type you need!" he interrupted in almost expertly veiled irritation and pulled the top scoop off his ice-cream with a thoughtful look.

"They left." he stated as he was seriously beginning to question why he was even trying to explain this to a civilian. They wouldn't get it and he probably couldn't explain it to them.

"Then you're a very horrible leader!" Kiba said and slammed the scoop of ice-cream into Naruto's face. Everything froze as he wiped his hand clean on the front of Naruto's jacket. Everyone one was still gaping when he grabbed Temari's free hand and calmly said. "Come on honey. We need to run."

Temari quickly snapped out of her trance ditched her cone on Naruto's head and grabbed her kimono to free her before she ran along behind him. Narito stood dumbfounded as he watched them beat a hasty retreat. He was still in shock when he heard a small sound beside him and turned to see Hinata trying to hide her giggles behind her hand.

"What?" Naruto exclaimed throughly confused. Did CIVILIANS really just cream him, a NINJA?

"To what do we owe this tasty treat?" he heard a voice ask and a felt a finger swipe some of the cream off his face. He looked to the side to see Kakashi grinning at him from beneath his mask. Now Hinata couldn't hold it in any longer and erupted in to a fit of laughter.


	7. Chapter 7

I had originally planned on updating two days ago but to chapter got deleted so I had to start it over. It also turns out that school not only occupies time so you can't write often but it also gives writers block. Sucks actually, so now I'm struggling to make chapters. I'm open to suggestions.

I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 7 - Secrets and promises

It was the final day that Temari would be in town for this time. It was good times, good times. They had created a story that would forever be told entitled 'The Ninja Who Got Creamed by a Civilian'. Naruto would never live it down, Kakashi wasn't about to let this opportunity pass. His children would know and so would his children's children. It would become a legend.

They had managed to walk right past every one of their friends that should have been looking for them. Some ninja's they were. It was just so much fun. Sad knowing it had been so easy to sneak past them. Neither Shikamaru nor Chouji had been working. Lee's team spent time ticking each other off. Ten-ten and Neji had got bored and went off to train. All in all, the little mission failed big time to the great joy and merriment of both Kiba and Temari.

They had gone back to that lovely cafe` like restaurant and had a fun time just talking and eating. They shared stories about the two weeks that Temari had been in Suna for. It was almost unbelievable what antics Gaara and Kankuro put her through only to still fail at extracting information. Another sad case for such talented ninja to fail. These people were not good at espionage.

Kiba shook his head at the memory at the week so far. Temari would be leaving later and he had just collected his little box now all he had to do was go find Temari since she should be finishing up now, then they could hang out until she had to leave. That was the plan... and it flew right out the window when a vaguely familiar chunin appeared before Akamaru and himself.

"Tsunade-sama calls for you." the chunin stated and he nodded. He ran his hand through his hair before turning towards the hokage mansion with Akamaru and taking off in that direction. Just great.

XX

Running idly down the street with an equally excited Sanji yipping behind her, Temari laughed, finally free from paper work. She had made a stop to collect something that she had ordered before since she had not seen Kiba around. Now as she ran to his house she made sure that there were none of their ever inquisitive friends around to spot her. Perfect.

She slipped in through the gates holding them open for the little puppy before making a beeline for the house. She picked up Sanji as she pushed through the door. Tsume smiled at her from the kitchen and she put Sanji to sit beside Kuromaru, Tsume's familiar, and Akamaru. Tsume pointed up to signal that Kiba was up in his room. Temari quickly ran up the stairs and to his room. She burst through the door and froze. She had caught him in the act. The act of stuffing his ANBU uniform in to a bag, his mask still lying in the bed. He stared at her wide eyed. He hadn't ever sensed her enter the house. He must be slipping or was just too familiar. Either way that was not good. She stood staring at him just as wide eyed as he was. She cleared her throat causing them hum to snap out of his state of berating himself for his slip.

"I'm not supposed to see this am I?" she asked taking a step inside and pushing the door close to closed. She gave an awkward nod and looked towards the window and away from him. He forced down a smile at her apparent discomfort at finding out a secret that was supposed to be top secret. He might as well have fun.

"You just found out one of my biggest secrets." he said unable to hide his amused tone.

"One of?" Temari asked and turned her attention to him once again. Her interest piqued despite herself.

"Yea the other ones that I'm jounin so..." he said with a shrug as he watched her eyes widen. This was going to be fun after all.

"You're jounin? Why's that a secret? Why are you telling me if it's a secret?" she asked surprised, then curious, then suspicious. She watched with a guarded look as he slowly walked towards her with the unrushed ease of a trainer predator and a smile that practical sang murder. She found herself suffering from a shiver that ran right down to her toes and back up. He raised a brow at her as if sensing it.

In a silky smooth voice that caused another shiver he answered "Well that's top secret classified information. All you have to know is that I passed my exam. I'm telling you because you know the other one and I felt like telling you."

With every step he came closer until she stepped backward into the door causing it to close. By the end if his answer he had she pressed against the door. He stared down at her with a look that confirmed an idea that had been floating around in her head for the past minute: this guy could kill her.

"Dang girl! Told ya scary was hot!" her mind, well probably Boozy, screamed, which was weird because she hadn't had a drink of anything alcoholic in almost a month.

"You smell very nice." Kiba suddenly said and her mind drew a blank.

"What?" she blurted and he smiled at her clueless face. Yep, this was definitely fun.

"You smell nice." he repeated with a bright smile as he stepped away from her. She frowned at the sudden change of topic.

"You were playing with me..." she muttered in realisation.

"Yup."

"So you're not really jounin?"

"Everything I said was true."

"You really are just playing with me."

"Yea. It's fun. You should try. Your expressions are the best. "He said smiling then walked back towards the bed where he still had a pant to put in.

"You're a real jerk." she growled and he laughed. She glared at him for a moment. "Were you going to tell me you had a mission?"

"Yea just packing then I was going to find you so we could hang out. I don't have to leave until nightfall." he answered and froze as if in thought. "I have something for you."

"Me too."

"For me?" he asked in an excited tone and she rolled her eyes at his antics.

"Duh, you're the one that came up with the idea in the first place." she watched as he seemed to search his room for him only to freeze once more. She raised a brow at him as he turned to her with a look that made it seem like he had just done something stupid.

"Jacket pocket." he told her and pulled out a box from said pocket, the box he had picked up earlier. She looked at the box in his hands and pulled out one of her own. Gift exchanging was new to her especially since it was supposed to have meaning, be a clue and be worn always. Naturally jewellery came to mind but what kind and what it would look like was a challenge. Ninja didn't usually wear jewellery and even if Kiba did what kind would he be comfortable with? The whole thing was complicated if you asked her.

Kiba held both hands out to her, one offering his box to her and the other asking for hers. Temari did the same and they exchanged gifts. They both stared at their respective gift in the pause between deciding whether to open or to wait. Kiba silently urged Temari to open hers. She shook her head and motioned for him to do it first. He pouted but pulled off the top anyway. He stared wide eyed at the object in the box. It caught the sun easily as Kiba lifted it out of the box by the leather that was attached to it.

"Its shinny." he muttered in awe. Temari slapped herself. Really? That was his first comment? "What? Can't a guy comment on how brightly it reflects the light that touches it? It's pretty too you know."

"Do you like it?" she asked referring to the medium sized pendant of a silver replica of her own fan with purple stones were the purple dots on get fan would have been. It was strung on a chain of very strong leather

"Well yea. It's cool and it has meaning." he said still inspecting the pendant then smiled at her sweetly leaning towards her. "It will always remind me of you."

"Yea yea. Whatever." she replied pushing him back. She took the chain from him and tipped on her toes to reach behind him to close the clasp around his neck. "I know two of your biggest secrets right? So this is my promise to you, I'll never tell. Even if this ends and we're found out. I'll never tell."

He smiled at her and tugged gently on one of her ponytails at the back of her head. "Open yours."

Picking her box up again she hesitantly pulled off its top. Kiba sat on the edge of his bed watching with interest as she gaped at the contents of her box.

"Wow." she finally managed to say, he grinned at her. She picked the circular band up out of the box. It looked like a bangle made out of silver or some similar metal with red curved triangles that looked like the ones that decorated Kiba's cheeks carved and painted into it. She put it around her wrist and couldn't help marvel at it. Kiba took her hand in his pulling her towards him as he began to push it further up her arm and up her sleeve, past her elbow. She watched as his hand disappeared up her sleeve and still moved further until stopping just a little below her shoulder. He looked up at her from his seat and her breath caught. She hadn't realised they were this close, only centimetres apart.

"There you go." he whispered pushing back her sleeve for her to look without looking away from her face. She didn't look; she kept looking into his eyes, unmoving. They really were unusual eyes.

"When are you coming back?" she whispered not exactly sure why she was.

"Next two weeks so when you come back I'll either be back already or just be coming back. That week is the chunin exam isn't it?" he answered in the same hushed tone as before also staring back at her.

"Yea." she muttered. Neither moved, stuck in the moment. They continued to just stare at each other.

"Hey! What are you two doing up there? Watch it! I don't want stuff happening in my house!" Tsume's shout rang through the house jolting the two out of their trance. Temari quickly stepped back

"If we were doing something you'd know!" Kiba yelled back. Tsume's cackling laughter floated up to them. That woman just loves drama.


	8. Back Again

Chapter 8- back again

With the passing of another two weeks, Temari was back in Konoha again. This time however she actually had to give her report in on her own because of the fact that it was the week that the Chunin exams would begin. After telling her escorts to escort the participants from Suna to where they would be staying, she began making her way to the Hokage mansion.

She happily smiled at the ninjas she passed as she entered the building and practically bounced up the stairs. She probably got the bounciness from having Sanji around all the time. The little puppy was a ball of energy. He had been taken along by the escorts to her room, but was to start training to be a good nin-dog with Kiba and Akamaru in the week and a half that she was staying in Konoha for. He would then spend the next two months in bonding training with Temari to of course work on the necessities of being a team. He was already starting to rub off on her. He was just so cute and full of energy.

She quickly pushed the door to the hokage's office open. She froze instinctively when she saw the ANBU standing there. The ANBU's face was turned to her from his side of the room. Tsunade was seated around her desk with her usual stack of papers littering her table. The paperwork never ended for a kage. At least Gaara's pile was less.

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting? I'll come back." Temari said getting over her surprise of seeing Kiba standing there in his ANBU uniform. He looked great, lean and dangerous. His mask was the usual white porcelain masks made in the image of a wolf. If it had been anyone else she might not have noticed that the uniform was really that cool looking.

"No. It's alright I was just about to dismiss him." Tsunade told her with a smile. She turned her attention to Wolf giving him a nod signalling his dismissal. He gave a short nod in return before disappearing in a small swirl of leaves. No sooner was he gone than Tsunade slammed her hand on her table. "That Wolf! The little liar!"

"Tsunade-sama?" Temari asked uncertainly closing the door quietly behind her. The woman had been calm just seconds before and everyone knew about Tsunade's temper and what she could do. It just wasn't safe when she was angry.

"Sorry. He told me he was fine but he's obviously injured if he couldn't even jump out the window like he usually does. Brat." she said in irritation roughly shuffling the papers on her desk. Temari frowned. If Kiba hadn't told Tsunade about his injuries, it was most likely that he wouldn't be going to the hospital. She had to hurry and leave then. How badly injured could he be?

"I guess you're here to report?" Tsunade stated when she finally calmed down. Temari nodded quickly and got right to it. The quicker the better.

XXXXX

Kiba stumbled through the front door. He hadn't thought it would have taken that much out of him to leave. It was better than through the window though. If he had done that he would already be in the hospital and that was one place he wouldn't mind never going. Too much memories, too much blood, too much death. Definitely not a place he wanted to be.

A large white blur moved over to him and he ran a hand through the soft fur on Akamaru's head. He had really missed him. He walked with the dog to the sofa fully content in just the feel of the fur between his fingers. It wasn't like he could go much further anyway. He ached all over but especially his right side. That mission had been some real trouble.

He sat down, careful not to disrupt his wound any more than necessary. That one hurt beyond how hurting should hurt. Seriously. He sighed slowly relaxing himself and leaning back into the softness of the sofa. Akamaru nudged him in the leg asking if he was ok.

"I'm fine. Why don't you go get the injury bag?" Kiba told him with a light smile. He had pulled off the mask the moment he got to the door. Akamaru whined not wanting to leave his master but slowing backed away, still watching just in case something happened.

Kiba side relaxing all over again. He knew he was supposed to get the whole bandaging done as soon as possible but couldn't it wait? It felt so good to just sit there. So very good. That was just plain lazy. What had Mom said about laz...?

Kiba didn't know how long he had been asleep nor could he guess in the least but it couldn't have been too long. Now, what was it that woke him up?

"Kiba?" a familiar voice cut through the haziness and he was brought back to the pain in his side. He opened his eyes to see a beautiful angel that looked relatively like Temari... or maybe it was Temari but he was too far gone to realise. Either way it was a good thing but if it was an angel then he would be dead... and he wouldn't get to see Temari... Ok so maybe the angel wasn't a good thing.

"Kiba!" the voice said with a vengeful little slap. He took a moment to focus on the face of the girl before him. Yup, Temari.

"Oww." he muttered seconds too late then smiled at her. "Hi."

"Shut up and lean forward so I can take the shirt off. It's sticky with all the blood." she said and he silently wondered as he complied 'what happened to good old bedside manners?' She helped him pulled the armour off along with the rest of the top half on his uniform with little wincing on his part. Now she looked at the wound. It didn't look very deep and seemed to be healing but it was still oozing some blood, not much. Was this guy serious? The cut might not be deep but to was long, almost a foot long. He was lucky it wasn't deep.

"I can do this." he stated when she began to tend his wound. She glared at him.

"I can too. I patch my brothers up all the time." she said and he nodded and let her continue. He really should stay awake but he was tired. He stared at her as she worked. She was pretty, beautiful, hot and why did she always smell so good? As if she wasn't awesome to behind with! She was great, perfect. He liked her. He liked her personality, her smile, the way she talked, how she laughed, her strength, her skill, her hotness, her smile, her smell. He liked her. He must really be in pain to be thinking like this but he had felt worse than this before. He was pulled out of his thoughtful but slightly hazy state as she pulled the last tie on his wrappings. He must have lost a good amount of blood along the way. Man, he was tired.

"There we're done." she said making sure the bandaging was done properly. Akamaru had already put away Kiba's dirty clothes. She was probably going to have to wash them so that his mom didn't find them. She was still bent before him when she reached over to check his temperature. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Yea and I know how I can feel even better." he said with a weary smile. She raised a brow at him in suspicion. He held his arms open to her. "Hug?"

"A hug?" she asked sceptically and he nodded. He really ought to stop that, he'd get a headache soon enough. She thought about it for a moment before sighing then leaning forward to carefully wrap her arms around him. He inhaled deeply taking in her usual nice scent. He was just so tired, he could sleep right here. He hugged her tighter and took another deep breath closing his eyes. Just so tired.

Temari was not surprised when she felt him pull her closer though she was surprised she heard him sigh into her shoulder. However that surprise was nothing compared to when he pulled her towards him and onto the sofa with him. She was surprised he even had the strength to pull her to lie down beside him between himself and the back of the sofa. She froze. She could feel the even rise and fall of his chest from where her head rested on the uninjured side of him, telling her he was already asleep. There was no way she was going to get herself out of her corner without hurting him. She lifted her head to glare at his peaceful sleeping face.

'How did I get myself into this?' she thought dejectedly as she brought her head back down with a sigh. She didn't know how long it would be before she could move. She stared at Akamaru before asking "How do I get out?"

He gave her a soft bark in answer. Oh what she would give to understand him just this once. If she could she would have heard his simple smirking answer:

'You don't.'

XXXXXXX

Tsume entered the house and immediately sensed something was different from when she had left earlier. Kuromaru entered the house through the door she held open for him.

"The pup is back." he said moving towards the living room with a smirk. "With company."

"I figured." she stated following him. They stood with matching smirking faces as they looked at the couple sleeping on her sofa. Akamaru gave them a laughing look from his resting place but quickly went back to sleep. No use doing nothing.

"Are you really sure about this? You really don't mind her?" Kuromaru asked scratching at head. Man, that was one big itch.

"Sure. She might actually be good for the pup. Keep him away from all those hooking hussies." she said with a small snarl at the thought of all those girls that her son had been around with. This girl would keep her little promiscuous son on a leash even if it was only until this game fell apart. Hopefully when it did it wouldn't be just a game anymore and she could actually have some hope of extending the family within the legal bonds of marriage. She would love grandchildren! It would teach the little brat what it was like to raise little hellions called Inuzuka's and their partners in crime called nin-dogs.

"If you say so but how do you feel about her? Do you like her or not? I'll bite her if you don't. She looks tasty." Kuromaru suggested with a smirk as he continued staring at the two. Yup, her skin would be tasty.

"She's ok now stop drooling over her or I'm going to tell her you were having perverted thoughts about her." Tsume said finally walking away. Kuromaru instantly followed her with a curious look.

"Define perverted?"

"The little porn book you keep under your pillow." she answered referring to an orange book that looked awfully familiar to the one that a certain silver hair ninja usually had his head buried in. He made a choking sound; he hadn't thought she found that.

"I only read those to better understand what it is the pup does with all those females." the nin-dog stated with a huff. "It's still too darn complicated though. You'll have to show me one day and I was only thinking how nice she would taste as dinner."

"Yea, right. When do you think they'll wake up?"

"Cook some bacon and we'll find out."

XXXXX

Temari woke to the warm feeling of comfort. Tightly wrapped in a calming heat and pressed against a soft spongy surface. No bed could possibly feel this great. She snuggled more into the comfy warm but froze when this warmth stiffened for a second before relaxing again. Pillows don't move... they weren't warm either. Not wanting to open her eyes, she tried to move the arm that she wasn't lying on. That arm was on the other side of the 'pillow'. She ran a finger against the 'pillow' and felt the material of bandages. Now she was panicking. She slowly cracked her eyes open to state at a bandaged chest. Going by the fact that she had just woke up, she'd say she had fallen asleep at some point during her waiting. She looked around and began to assess the situation. It seemed that at some point during their sleep, Kiba had rolled over and wrapped his arms around her. Now she was wedged between him and the back of the sofa and held firmly in his arms. How she was going to get out was a mystery to her.

"Hey Tsume! The female is up!" a voice shouted from somewhere that she couldn't see from her position. She could only be Kuromaru which meant Tsume was here. Shit! That can't be good. "I win the bet! I want my prize, woman! I want my prize!"

"Yea yea." Tsume called back and she could be heard mumbling angrily in the kitchen. Temari could smell bacon and hear the sizzling as it was fried. Well that explains what woke her up. Kiba was slowly waking. He had subconsciously tightened his arms around her, pushing Temari's face more into his chest, and buried his face in her hair. Temari stayed still hearing him mutter something in a heavy exhale.

Kiba only half awake taking in a wonderful scent that he had really started to love. "Temari." He muttered in his half-sleep haze. Then a new scent slipped into his senses. His eyes flew open instantly. "Bacon!"

"Glad you're awake." Temari said and Kiba moved just enough to be able to see her face. She held a look of annoyance. "Would you mind letting me go now?"

"Why?" he asked playfully with a pout before pulling her closer to him again. "I like hugging you."

"Kiba." Temari growled in annoyance and shoved him away. She wasn'tabout to let him just let him get all comfortable now.

"What? You're comfy." he protested. Too late.

"Let me go." Temari growled again shooting him a glare. A look of realisation lit his face.

"You slept with me." he said with a smug look.

"What?" Temari sputtered. Did he really just say that?

"You slept with me."

"Don't say it like that. You make it sound like something it isn't."

"You slept with me." he said again this time with a smirk.

"Kiba!" Temari exclaimed and his expression changed to one of amusement.

"My, my Temari, what are you thinking? I only meant you slept beside me." Kiba said finally letting go and sitting up. He looked over his shoulder at her. "And they call me the pervert."

Temari watched with a glare as he got up and walked away. A smug looking Akamaru stared at her from a comfortable place on the floor.

"What?" she asked him. He simply got up with a yawn and followed Kiba onto the kitchen. What was she getting into with these Inuzuka's?


	9. Three Days

Chapter 9- three days

_Tuesday_

"You say this week is going to be a stressing week?" Kiba asked laying out the dishes that they had packed for their picnic in the park. They had once again disguised themselves as the civilian couple named Hideki and Kyoko. The same young couple that threw their ice-cream on Naruto. It was the only way to have an open lunch without the annoyance of getting caught and hitting the end of their game so early. This needed to go on for at least one month and if it last for the rest of the Chunin exams then they would have two months until February where they would continue where they left off. They really had to plot some ways to play with their dear friends or this wouldn't be that fun.

"Yea. We might not have to plan anything but we have to make sure everything is in order." Kyoko (Temari) answered. She was looking around at the beautiful scenery and happy mood of the other people here at the park. She hadn't been here before. She easily realised that Kiba took her to places that she had never seen before. It wasn't surprising really, Shikamaru didn't take her to many places. "Yea so like today, we had to make sure everything was in place but since everything is on the way properly I can do anything I want."

"Sounds lucky." Hideki finally took out a spoon and began sharing the food. "I feel sorry for the guys that have to deal with the brats."

"You don't like kids?" Kyoko asked finally turning her eyes to him.

"Yea sure. The younger ones that aren't trying to kill each other yet."

"So you don't mind babies?" she asked carefully. He didn't seem like the children type.

"Nope." he said then suddenly became excited. "Have you seen Asuma? He's the cutest little one ever! He's the best!"

Kyoko watched in surprise as he went off into a rant about Kuranai's baby boy. She never thought she'd hear the day when he, of all people, would be excited about a baby. He just didn't seem like the type. He was on the side of take-em-and-leave-em and just-for-pleasure more than on the side of caring-father/brother. It was weird to hear him talk like that about a baby.

"You love him don't you?"

"Yea. He's like the little brother I never had and probably will never have." he smiled at her and she couldn't help smile back. He looked so happy talking about the little baby that she had only seen once when she had stopped to greet Hinata when she was taking a walk with Asuma. She had been told he had his father's eyes but she hadn't know that Asuma so she couldn't tell.

Hideki finally handed her a plate and sat facing her with his own plate in his hands. He smiled serenely and suddenly it was one of those moments. Those moments when he smiles, she wonders why he's smiling, he smiles knowingly, she gets confused and it shows in the smile she returns, he grins back and she's still wondering, he starts laughing and she's even more confused but joins in the laughing. They both laugh their heads off only for her to realise... he was just messing with her. He smiled cheekily at her.

"You have the best expressions even when it's not your real face." he told her smiling. She shook her head. She could say the same for him.

XXXXXXX

"I'm telling you that's them."

"Are you sure?" Sasuke asked raising a brow at the couple not far away having a romantic picnic under the sun. No way in hell.

"Yes. Do you think I wouldn't know them when I see them?"

"Well... you aren't the brightest."

"I know it's them!" Naruto erupted with a glare at his friend.

"Sure." Sasuke conceded rolling his eyes. "Why am I here anyway?"

"To be proof of my revenge." Naruto said darkly with a glare at the unsuspecting couple. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"He threw ice-cream on you. Are you going to throw ice-cream on him too?" he asked exasperated

"Even better."

"Is it ramen related?" Sasuke asked unimpressed. Naruto narrowed his eyes at him.

"How'd you know?" he asked and Sasuke sighed.

"I'm not doing this."

"Why? Are you chicken?" Naruto taunted and Sasuke glared at him. If there was one thing that hadn't changed over the years it was that he still couldn't stand Naruto's taunts. "With that chicken-butt hair, I'm not surprised."

"It's on." he growled through grit teeth. Why did he let the blond get to him like that?

"Ramen!" Naruto said excitedly.

XXXXXXX

Hideki's ears twitched involuntarily and he got the slight feeling that he had heard something. He brushed it off as just the rustling of leaves then turned his attention back to the smiling Temari disguised as Kyoko that was telling him about the tricks of the Chunin for this Chunin exam. He'd never tell her that he was really just staring at her face and listening to her voice though.

Everything was fine and dandy until SPLAT! Hideki was frozen and wet all over. Kyoko stared in slack jawed shock. A slippery noodle slipped down his face between his eyes and he felt as one slowly made its way down the back of his traditional garb.

"Oops sorry." the orange clad blond sang from the tree above them. Sasuke was merely a few feet away watching in boredom, Naruto could really be childish. "Payback's a bitch."

Instantly a tick grew on Hideki's head. A wicked smile crawled across his face and Kyoko instantly sensed danger. Evidently so did Sasuke. Hideki's face turned up to look at Naruto as he said "I know."

"Hideki, it's just some ramen," Kyoko began trying to placate him but Hideki was already glaring daggers at Naruto. "And remember he's a ninja and you're not a ninja."

"What are you? A scared kitty?" Hideki taunted ignoring Kyoko completely. Naruto narrowed his eyes at him. What the hell kind of civilian was this? Challenging him? What?

Kyoko wanted to slap herself. 'Seriously?' She smiled at Naruto in what would be an apologetic smile if she wasn't shooting Hideki a glare as he stood up. Naruto jumped out of the tree watching Hideki curiously.

"Would you like to join us in our picnic?" Hideki asked politely and now Kyoko rose also curious of where this was going. Even Sasuke was suspicious. He wasn't going to interfere in this though.

"Uh... I'm kinda busy."

"Aww that's sad. I really wanted to let you taste the potato salad. It has some really special ingredients." Hideki said still wearing a smile even if it was falsely polite. At 'special ingredients' the others immediately stated eying the potato salad he had bent to pick up. He dipped a finger into it's and causally licked his finger when he pulled it out with a seemingly thoughtful look.

"Maybe next time?" Naruto asked more than said. Did this guy really go from wanting to kill him to being nice? His mood swings were worse than Sakura's.

"Right. How is it that you're busy yet you have to time to throw food on me? Some ninja you are." It was then that Kyoko realised exactly how Hideki was holding the bowl of potato salad but alas, it was too late. The bowl was already covering Naruto's face with potato salad. Kyoko looked on wide eyed. Though he would never admit it Sasuke was just as surprised but that surprise quickly turned to amusement and the strong need to stifle his laughter. Naruto had not even moved yet. Hideki took Kyoko's hand spun her around. She understood instantly: run. She grabbed the ends of her kimono with her free hand and ran for it.

"Hey!" Naruto finally yelled in anger but they were already pretty much out of the park. Sasuke walked over to stand beside him with a smirk. Naruto glared at him. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

_Wednesday_

Temari watched with interest as Kiba and Akamaru trained with Sanji to improve his speed. The little puppy's size working for him and he was already surprisingly fast for his age. His few clumsy slips also had him doing well at dodging the projectiles Kiba sent flying at him. He was truly progressing. She was already off from the first test on the exams since it was just the written exam and she was not needed. Evidently Kiba had already done his delivery rounds and was pretty much ready to begin training Sanji. Temari just continued to watch until Kiba said that was it for the day and Sanji ran right into her arms. Kiba walked over and sat beside her leaning onto the tree too. Akamaru followed and easily rested his head in his master's lap.

"What do you have planned for next time?" Temari asked rubbing Sanji's belly to the little puppy's glee.

"I was thinking we could go back to that restaurant you like so much then take a walk around and just see the sights." he answered watching as she lifted her head with an amused look.

"I meant with his training." she said and Kiba immediately felt dumb. Of course she would be talking about the training. That's why they were there in the first place.

"Can't help if I like our evening escapades." he told her with a pout. She gasped.

"Big word Kiba!" she in mock excitement, clapping her hands. He rolled his eyes.

"Shut up." he said with no real harshness but ended up smiling at her. "We should probably start with joint training so he can get familiar with your fighting style and so you can get used to fighting with him."

"That's good then." she said turning her attention back to Sanji who had already fallen asleep. "Tomorrow?"

"Yea sure. Same time." he answered watching as she lovingly petted Sanji. She scooped him up in her arms and rose.

"Well, see you then."

"What about dinner?" he asked leaning off the tree a little. She was leaving already. She looked at him blankly.

"Tomorrow." she told him simply.

"Why?"

"You know about the thing Ino is having for all of us?"

"The sleep over mini party thing that we usually get drunk at?"

"Yea." Temari replied and he continued giving her a blank stare. "It's on Friday so I need to rest because we all know we won't be going to bed any earlier than sun rise."

"You have tomorrow to rest."

"You really want to go out."

"No duh."

"Pity." she said shrugged turning away. He watched as she walked away with a distinct sway in her hips. He smirked.

"But I'm gonna be busy!"

_Thursday_

Temari couldn't help looking over Sakura and Naruto's shoulders at Kiba. He was quite relaxed and reclined in the same bench she had caught him in on that faithful day that betrayal came to life. He was slouching with his face to the sky and his arms over the back of the bench. He had a stick of jerky in him mouth. The weird part of it all was that Genma stood just behind the bench also staring at the sky. They had been like that for several minutes now. Soon Kotetsu walked over and joined them face turned to the sky.

"Temari, are you here?" Sakura asked waving a hand before her friends face. Temari quickly turned her attention to her. "Are you ok?"

"Yea. What are they doing?" She answered motioning to the three behind Naruto. Both turned to look.

"Oh... It's Thursday at about four so I'd say it's the syndrome. They get worked like crazy by Tsunade-sama because she wants as much of her paper work done today so by about this time they're so exhausted that they begin to zone. You'll soon see Izumo and some others come to stare at the sky and have their own pity party." Sakura explained. Now, Temari understood what Kiba meant by being busy. She guessed they really couldn't go out today then.

"Suckas!" Naruto declared and the girls rolled their eyes. Temari then smiled at him.

"So Naruto, I hear you got food thrown on you by a civilian again." she said and he gaped at her. Sakura fell into a laughing fit.

"I told that bastard not to tell anyone!" Naruto exclaimed.

"What? You think Sasuke was the only one who saw?" Temari asked with a smile. Naruto's face turned white and Temari couldn't keep it in any longer. She laughed just as hard as Sakura was.

Well it looked like she should have really gone out with him the day before. Just her luck, looks like they couldn't even train. It was irritating. She had really wanted to hang out with him. Dear God, she was getting attached. Had it really become that usual to go out with him whenever she was in Konoha?

'Next thing I know, I'll start missing him at home.' she thought mentally shaking her head. As if.


	10. The Sleepover

Chapter 10- the sleepover

There was great chatter as the group entered the Uchiha compound. Since Sasuke's return ownership of all Uchiha property was handed over to him and because it was so much of them and no one else actually had the space to accommodate them. The compound itself was made up of several houses on a large plot of land.

"Well Ino, now what?" Sakura asked with and everyone was silent waiting for her to answer. She was the only one carrying more than an overnight bag, except for Chouji who had snacks to carry.

"Well we'll be using two houses. The main and one of the others." she began. "Girls will be in the other one since it's less girls and the main is bigger. We're going to deal with the sleepover part first, separately that at about midnight the girls are coming over to the main so we can party! Of course we'll play a game first before we break out the sake! It's going to be so much fun with the house so big."

"Ok. You're the woman."

"Let's go!" Ten-ten said excited and the girl cheered. The boys shook their heads and ignored them.

"Which house was it Sasuke?" Ino asked and pointed to the house beside the main house. He gave the key to Temari.

"Don't lose it."

"We won't Uke-chan." she said with an innocent smile. He face instantly morphed into a scowling death glare as the group erupted in laughs. She grabbed Hinata's arm and skipped away towards the house ignoring the shouts and comments of Naruto, Lee and Kiba as they ridiculed, or in Lee's case comforted, Sasuke. The girls quickly followed behind her laughing all the way.

After hours of talking about everything from missions to teams to guys to fashion to weapons while doing everything from painting nails to watching movies to manicures and pedicures to playing UNO on the floor the girls were finally ready to head over and have some co-ed fun and get drunk. Hell ya!

The guys were just laughing at one of Naruto's apparent mission slip ups that Sai just had to share with every one, when there was a knock at the door. Neji went to go get the door as Lee launched into a 'youthful' retelling of the very same mission that left him dumb for almost two weeks. Neji opened the door to the grinning girls. He stepped aside to let them pass by. Ten-ten was pulling Ino's suitcase along behind her.

Ino jumped into the room the boys where in and yelled "Let's play truth or dare spin the bottle! Get in a circle!"

"What the heck is that?" Naruto asked moving over on the ground for Sakura to sit. Temari sat beside her with Ino on her other side. The others quickly found places on the floor.

"Well it's only one of the best sleepover games ever." Ino said grabbing an empty bottle of soda that was lying around. I spin the bottle whoever it lands on goes with me to somewhere private for some hot make out. If we don't go or don't kiss we have to carry out a dare. If the bottle lands on some one of the same gender then you don't have to go, unless you roll that way or are just that kinky."

"I want to see some girl on girl action!" Naruto said happily only to yelp when Sakura punched him in the head. Chouji immediately but his agreement on pause. No use getting himself killed as yet.

"If there is ever any girl on girl action we are going to want to see some boy on boy action." Ten-ten said smirking at the boys.

"Think about it now, which two will be the sexiest?" Ino asked smiling around at the boys. They stared at her with horrified faces.

"Don't even go there." Sasuke growled out and they all remembered Temari's earlier statement.

"Let's just play the game."

"Yes! A more youthful topic! Let's get to it." Lee exclaimed from between Ten-ten and Sasuke.

"Ok. I'll spin to decide who will go first." Sakura offered and Ino handed her the bottle. Everyone watched with rapt attention as she spun it. It landed on Temari.

"Cool." Temari said before grasping the bottle.

"Remember your boyfriend."

"Shut up. He'll understand." Temari growled at her mentally praying for it not to land on Shikamaru as she spun the bottle. It didn't. It landed on Kiba. He gave her his perfectly hot smirk.

"Come cheat with me." he teased as she began getting up. He followed her to his feet.

"You'll just have to go into which ever room you find first. You've got fifteen minutes." Ino announced already brimming with excitement. They all watched the two walk away.

"Isn't that a little long?" Hinata asked as she activated her byakugan. Neji did the same.

"What do you mean by too long? It's just perfect." Ino snorted and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Has it started yet?" Sakura asked.

XX

"You know that they have Neji and Hinata watching right?"

"Then I guess we actually have to kiss then." Temari stated taking a step closer to him. He nodded once but kept his eyes trained on her face, in her eyes, searching for something, anything. They had found a room but it turned out to be the bathroom so they skipped over to another room. It was actually within view of the group in the living room. She shrugged "Just a small one."

He mirrored her shrug but still didn't look away. She slowly reached up to rest her hands on his cheeks. Now his heart sped up as he placed his hands loosely at her waist. He watched her bite her lip in a slight sign of worry and instantly his attention was locked onto them. Damn! This was their first kiss together and it was because of a stupid truth or dare spin the bottle game. It was just a small one, they could have the real one later, Kiba reasoned. They were so much closer now. He looked back at her eyes. Hesitance. They had to do it or face the wrath of Ino's way too creative ways of torture that would definitely be beyond embarrassing and degrading. He could feel her breath now. It was just a small one, as proof and if they weren't satisfied screw them.

It was a simple one. Just a light brush, just a small touching of the lips. He might actually live through this without going further than necessary. That was until Temari broke the innocence of it all and parted her lips to so very lightly lick his. That's when it broke. The freaking dam broke. A hand came up to her face, holding her still as his tongue pushed forward to touch hers. To hell with this!

XX

Out in the living room, Hinata immediately shut her byakugan off, her face red. Ino and Sakura squealed practically bouncing on the spot. The other shows varying degrees of interest.

"How is it? Is it juicy?" Ino asked excitedly for everyone. Neji still had his byakugan active abs keeping an eye on the two in the room just a little down the hall. "God! I wish I had byakugan!"

"Come on tell us man!" Naruto whined.

XX

He had her against the wall now. One hand tangled in the hair at the back of her head keeping her close, one of her hair ties was gone the other one was getting close to out too. The other hand was in the small of her back helping to support her. Both her arms were wrapped around his neck pulling him closer. This wasn't going how either had thought it would but neither of them was complaining. His hands moved down her body squeezing in some parts and her fingers tangled into his hair as his hands grabbed her thighs lifting her off the ground. She instantly wrapped her legs around him not processing anything anymore. This was way more important, demanding, enticing.

XX

"We should stop them now or this might go further than just kissing." Neji said, this was all progressing too fast.

"They still have two minutes." Ino pouted crossing her arms

"Now!" Neji growled at her.

"We should listen to him. He's the one that's seeing. It would be not be youthful for us to not heed a warning like this." Lee said with a frown. Sakura agreed as she got up and went to pound on the door.

"Time up!" she shouted. She glanced back at Neji and he nodded. Clear.

XX

They both looked at each other. Their breathing was haggard but they were otherwise still just looking at each other. His hand was once again in her hair. He ran his hand through her hair again taking the loose hair tie with it and saving it around his wrist. They should really do this more often but would this change anything? She shifted her legs slightly and he let her go so she could release him and stand on her own.

She looked up at his eyes. They looked even more unusual in the almost complete dark of the room. This really had taken a different turn than they had expected. He offered her a small smile and she found herself hoping he couldn't see the blush that she could just feel burning her face. She smiled back at him.

"Out?" she asked

"Talk?" he asked instead and she seemed to think of it for a moment.

"Later." she answered and he shrugged but opened the door for her. He smirked as she stepped out into the light. She raised a brow at him but dismissed it as him being obnoxious, perverted Kiba.

"I hope you don't plan on seeing your boyfriend later." Chouji commented pausing in his munching to talk. Everyone was looking at her in interest or smirking or smiling or slight amusement behind their mask of indifference. Kiba walked past her to return to his seat between Shino and Hinata.

"Why?" Temari asked in curiously moving to sit between Sakura and Ino where she had left her fan. "What could they possibly be thinking?"

"I don't know how you're going to explain those to him." Ino grinned wickedly as she handed the mirror to her. Even Hinata had a little smirk as Temari examined her neck in horror. There were little red marks down her neck lined so neatly it was mocking down her neck, when the heck did she get those? He must have put them there during the time he was shuffling her back to the wall. They were right to ask how she'd cover it because her usual clothes would never be able to. He so knew that. She glared Kiba who grinned back at her.

"You jerk!" she yelled as she lobbed her fan across the circle at the grinning Inuzuka.

XXXXXXX

Temari woke the next morning sprawled on top of Kiba who was passed out on the couch. Her head was resting on his chest just above his heart. The steady beating of his heart and rising and falling of his chest almost soothing the headache that she could already feel seeping in. She hadn't moved to check who it was but she could just tell it was Kiba; no one else could be this warm and comfy. She didn't move for a few moments, just breathing and trying to actually remember what happened the night before as she stared at the back of the sofa that she was facing. She remembered the talks she had with the girls and all the fun things they had done to kill time. She remembered going over to the main house with the girls to get to the party with the guys. She remembered the truth or dare spin the bottle. She blushed slightly at the memory of Kiba and what they had done when it was their turn and the conflicting emotions that came with it. She was just going to hate having to deal with it whenever it was that they would get to talk. She remembered one of the boys making a statement about girls and pillow fights at sleepover when Ino brought out the sake. She remembered the pillow fight that started then and her precious bottle of sake. Oh, she most definitely remembered being hit so hard she blacked out for a few second, almost an entire minute, and she was most definitely going to repay Sai for that one, she almost broke her bottle. She remembered lots of singing and dancing. She remembered giving Shino a lap dance but that one was hazy so it could have been Neji. Who knows they're both so calm and quiet. She remembered Shino had nice eyes but she just couldn't remember what they looked like. Crap, that could have been of use in the future. She remembered strip poker, Kiba, Naruto and surprisingly Shino had wanted to make sure all the girls got striped. She was seriously beginning to think Shino had his perverted areas. Otherwise from those she had no recollection of the rest of the night. Well that sucked.

She gently pushed herself into a sitting position vaguely aware of the hand that Kiba had had on the small of her back slipping off. She plucked the sake bottle from the hand dangling over the edge of the sofa and set it on the ground before looking around.

Sasuke was fast asleep shirtless, half way off the sofa he was in. Lee was lying on the centre table covered in chips also shirtless. Hinata was on the floor in between Naruto and Sai both of whom had no shirts while Naruto only had on his boxers. Both had their arms wrapped around her, trapping her in-between them. Hinata herself was only in a shirt and undies. That ought to be something when she wakes up. Neji was lying on top of Ino who was hanging on to Chouji for dear life so that they wouldn't fall off the mattress that was not so healthily propped onto a small table and a sturdy lamp, even in her sleep. How that got there, Temari had no idea. Ten-ten was curled into Shino on the other side of the room. Shikamaru and Sakura were nowhere in sight. No actually Shikamaru was over in the corner sleeping on a mattress of clothes and almost completely covered by a sheet. If this was how they ended up sleeping it hadn't made sense to choose beds then.

"Well this is a nice way to wake up." a voice rumbled softly from below her. She looked down to see Kiba looking up at her through half lidded, sleepy eyes with a tired smirk. She then realised the fact that she was practically straddling his waist with her hands resting on his bare chest. She had subconsciously been rubbing him as she took in the scene. It also didn't help that the shorts she had been wearing had rode up in her shifting and now his hands rested lightly on her thigh. She glared at him and moved to get off but he stopped her by holding her waist with a groaning whine.

"Please." he groaned pulling her down onto him and wrapping his arms around her. She pushed against him slightly but he just rolled them further into the sofa. "Let's just sleep."

"I need to drink something." she told him in a whisper. She couldn't just cuddle with him now, she had things to think over and this would definitely be a dead giveaway to who she was dating. There was no response from him until he rolled over to let her up.

"Fine bring me back a cup." he said with a pout. It was obvious he was still tired. He probably hadn't fallen asleep before her. She nodded and carefully got up. She headed to the kitchen carefully stepping over the two boys using Hinata as a cuddle pillow. She entered the kitchen to see Sakura leaning against the counter absently with a steaming cup of tea in her hands.

"Hey." she said the medic seemed to snap out of her trance.

"Hey." she said with a smile.

"What time is it?" Temari asked going for the pot of tea on the stove. It was still hot so she picked up two cups to pour it into.

"Four." Sakura answered with a sigh watching as Temari began to pour the tea.

"Morning?" Temari asked confused and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Afternoon." she answered then motioned to the extra cup. "Kiba's?"

"Yea. How'd you know?" Temari asked hoping that Sakura hadn't figured out the game yet. That would just plain suck. Sakura shrugged.

"Saw you guys sleeping and I figure if you're up he probably is too." she answered then smiled. Temari nodded accepting the reply. "Think he saw Hinata?"

"Nope." Temari also smiled. Her next sentence was cut off by a shout from the other room.

"WHAT THE F-GET THE HELL OFF HER YOU PERVERSE SACKS OF MEAT!"

I was followed by a yelp and groans of anger and more screaming and crashing objects. All together sounds of chaos.

"He has now." Sakura stated smiling and got to work pouring tea for the others that had been so rudely awakened. Temari picked up the cups but put them down when she saw Naruto and Sai running for their lives from the vengeful pair of Kiba and Shino and a placating Hinata bringing up the rear. She must have not realised that she didn't have on any pants. That realisation would have to wait until later. Temari began helping Sakura with the tea. Soon after everyone had a steaming cup of tea and Kiba and Shino were still glaring at Naruto and Sai. Hinata was also still embarrassed to have been running around in her underwear. She wasn't quite over the fact that she had been sleeping between both boys and also being cuddled by them.

"I have an announcement." Sakura said and they all turned their attention to her. She fiddled with her cup for a moment. "Um well, when yeas making tea not so long ago a ninja stopped by to pass on a message. Evidently, our sleepover was longer than we originally planned and Tsunade is pissed."

"We took a few extra hours. What's the big deal?"

"Yea Tsunade-baa-chan's just being old."

"It's Sunday." Sakura said and they all stared at her. "It's almost five o'clock on Sunday evening. It wasn't just a few hours it's almost two days."

"Are you joking?"

"Shit!"

"Yea so we all have to go home and totally go to work." Sakura stated getting up along with a few of them.

"Naruto has to go to Tsunade and bribe her out of killing us." Hinata stated completely fine with using her old crush as the scapegoat. It wasn't that she got over the crush, it was definitely still there, but simply because he was the one most equipped to deal with a beating.

"But she'll kill me!"

"She'll kill all of us if you don't go." Neji said clearly irritated that he had let himself sleep for so long.

"Naruto," Lee said resting a comforting hand on the blonds shoulder with a surprisingly serious face. "Selflessness is youthfulness."

"Just put some clothes on and go you big baby." Ten-ten grumbled

"You all are mean!" Naruto exclaimed pointing around at all of them. They stared back.

"We're ninja." was the collective reply. Naruto opened his mouth to protest.

"Naruto just go!" Sakura shouted causing everyone to wince. He ran out of the room instantly to get some clothes on. The others soon followed, at a more sedate pace, to leave. They all split up and went their own way. Temari let herself into her hotel room and made a beeline for the bathroom. S nice long bath was definitely in order. She had so much to think about and try to remember. Only one way to do that.

She striped her clothes off as she filled the tub. When it was full she stepped in and sat down so low that the water covered her chin. She sighed, so much had happened in one night and she was going to have to deal with the emotional part of it. She'd been avoiding it since the moment she woke up. She had to think about the 'game', Kiba, the 'thing' that was supposed to be a kiss but was a whole lot more, how that thing changed everything, if it changed anything and if that change would be good or bad. There was too much to think about on her own.

"Boozy?" she whispered not believing that she was actually calling on that part of her.

"I bet you missed me." was the laughing reply


	11. Conflicted

Chapter 11- Conflicted

"Boozy?" she whispered not believing that she was actually calling on that part of her.

"I bet you missed me." was the laughing reply.

Temari rolled her eyes, "As much as I hate this I still need your help. You say you're the part of me that knows everything, right? So you should know how I feel. How do I feel? What do I feel?"

"You are conflicted but comforted by the warm water which is very warm and soothing and-" Boozy began in a bored tone only to be cut off by Temari.

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Yea but even I'm allowed to be difficult sometimes." Boozy commented with a scoff. "Anyway, the Kiba topic, the only topic that's actually fun to talk about. Your feelings? Conflicted, you're stuck. You want it but you're not sure. Girl, do you want me to tell you so you can figure it out yourself or do you want me to really tell you?"

"I don't know." Temari sighed. She had no idea what she wanted.

"Conflicted." Boozy sang. Temari growled, she should have known this wasn't going to work. "Fine, I'm dealing with this my way. You have got the hots for Kiba but it's deeper than just hots. Your problem is you don't want to hurt him."

"How would I hurt him?" Temari asked confused. If anyone was hurt it was her and she would most likely end up being hurt again. Boozy sighed at her stupidity.

"You're pretty much using him here."

"I'm not!"

"Look while it wasn't your idea and while he volunteered himself you're the only one with the profit." Boozy said and began explaining. "In your subconscious mind you know this and that subconscious part of it probably feels bad and that part of you isn't sure you want to add actual feelings to this. If you do what if he feels the same and then later on you realise it was because of your recent break-up that you felt that way and then you end up breaking him because it's not that way for him?"

"So I might end up putting him in the same situation I'm in." Temari said as realisation sunk in

"That's one way to put it." Boozy stated thoughtfully. "But there's a flip side, what if you hold stronger feelings than ever and it's for real, not something born of circumstance? Would you want him to know? Would he feel the same? What happens if he does? What happens if he doesn't?"

"I'm just getting more confused. It's so complicated."

"Ok test time!" Boozy exclaimed nearly shocking Temari out of the tub. "I'm the quizzer you just answer."

"Why?"

"It's to help. Remember I know everything so you just have to answer and correct answers will lead to you reach what you want."

Temari could just guess at the smile that would be adorning Boozy's face. She sighed in agreement anyway.

"First question: how many boyfriends have you had and what are their names?"

"Two, Renji and Shikamaru."

"Now think about your relationships with them, compare what you felt for them with what you feel for Kiba." Boozy said and Temari began to do that. "I don't need just tell me if it feels different or something."

"It's ... different." she answered after a moment of thought.

"Ok then, why is Kiba not on the list?"

"We're not really dating."

"Riiiight..." Boozy commented with an eye roll but continued. How oblivious could the girl be? "Would you like to date Kiba?"

"Yes?" Temari answers hesitantly.

"Would you like to date Kiba?" Boozy asked again dissatisfied with the answer.

"Yes."

"Good. Why do you think that what you are doing is not really dating?"

"It's a game to make me feel better."

"Why do you think he's doing it or that he even came up with the idea?"

"To make me feel better?" Temari answered quizzically. Hadn't she just said that?

"This question is not about you." Boozy sighed and Temari imagined her pinching her nose. This was getting nowhere. "Why do you think he's doing this? Why do you think he came up with this idea of all ideas to make you feel better? Why do you think he's trying so hard for this? It has to be pretty hard to put his night activities in hold just for you."

Temari though about this for a moment then it hit her like Sakura clobbering her with a tree. She gasped. "No." It couldn't be that, no way. It couldn't he possible. There were too many things against it. Kiba was a player, fidelity wasn't something he did.

"You are dense." Boozy said exasperated. For someone who was supposed to be smart she sure didn't show it when times like these called for it "Put the answer that I'm sure is floating around in your head with the kiss that you two shared, the kiss, not the make out session, and tell me you don't think so."

Temari didn't answer as she ran it through her head. It just kept getting brighter. It just couldn't be. That kiss had been to avoid the dare she tried telling herself. It wasn't working.

"That kiss wasn't one of a sex starved male ready to take you then and there, that was one of a respecting guy who really doesn't want to mess up and is trying his damned hardest to keep his reign on things so it didn't go farther than that kiss." Boozy stated and shook her head. "And the thing is he didn't mess up. You caused what happened; you're the one that broke the sweet simple innocence of it all! Though I must say that was the hottest make out we have ever had and I recommend doing that again. You can't possible have him around and not put him to use. He's so many things that you want so badly but you don't even realise it and he's so very available. You really like him and he definitely likes you but emotions are a bitch and no one wants to be hurt but he's so damn hot and sexy and fun and cool and nice and HOT! Can't we just ravish him? Why is human communication so complicated!"

Temari passed through Boozy's rant not really paying attention. If all of these things were true what were the chances that it would work? Could it? She wanted it to but she would have to talk to him about it. But when? Gaara was coming tomorrow and she was more than sure he would be trying to solve the game now that he was in Konoha for a little.

"If it's any consolation, the two of you are cute together." Boozy supplied after a short pause from her rant about how awesome Kiba was. Temari blushed. She must be an idiot she thought, she didn't blush for being abnormally close to him or because of the memory of kissing him but for one dumb comment on how they looked together. She must really be dumb. What the hell was wrong with her? She'd definitely have to spend some time in the tub.

Turns out that without Kiba running the deliveries, business had been slow and quite a few things had been piled up. It had been his first duty to deliver all of that backed up mail then deal with the new ones. It had been a real work out and a pain. Doing that many deliveries in just four hours was crazy and it had him seriously envying Naruto's shadow clone jutsu. Both he and Akamaru were just thankful it was over and they could finally rest where they were, on the grass of an empty training ground.

They were silent as they lay there just taking in the cool night air and starlit sky. It was comforting and soon had his mind wandering to something else that was comforting, having Temari close enough that every breath held her scent. Akamaru watched him through half lidded eyes as he smiled lightly at the thought. He was getting attached but that was expected. As long as he remembered his purpose he would be fine.

Neither moved when an extra person entered the training grounds. Kiba smiled when Temari sat on the other side of Akamaru. She gave him a slight smile in reply and reached out to rub Akamaru's fur. They were silent until Kiba rolled over onto his side to look at her.

"We need to talk." Kiba winced at her choice of words. That sounded bad.

"Ok." he said waiting for her to continue. She glanced at him before turning her eyes onto her fingers in Akamaru's fur trying to hide the nervous flutter of her heart.

"Friday night was a turning point." she began. "Up until Friday we were just friends and you were just helping me but I don't think that's the way it's going to be from now on. I can't just forget how it changed. It was simple at first but then it became more complicated. Why are we even doing this Kiba, the fake dating?"

"To help you get over your last boyfriend." he answered easily.

"That's what you tell me but is that it?" she asked but Kiba remained silent. "Is that really it?"

"What do you want me to tell you?" Kiba asked with a sigh.

"The truth, the full truth." she answered and Kiba mentally cursed. Why, oh why that? "Why are you really helping me?"

Kiba looked at the sky trying to find what to say. "When I saw you, you looked like you were broken. I couldn't not help you put yourself together again."

"Why would it even affect you? I don't see you going around and helping Sakura or Ten-Ten with anything especially not stuff like this."

Kiba was silent. Temari looked up to see if he was still paying attention. He was looking right back at her with an unreadable expression but spoke sincerely. "How could I not? You wouldn't be you if I didn't help, I like when you're you."

Akamaru snorted but the two were quiet looking at each other. Kiba was being honest, that much was true but he was not saying all of it.

"Are you saying that you like me Kiba?" Temari asked nervously. She could barely hear the blood pumping her head. Boozy couldn't be right, it would be almost too much to ask. Kiba looked away before throwing himself down with a sigh.

"Of course I like you Temari. I wouldn't do all of this if I didn't." he said nonchalantly trying to sound normal.

"I don't mean just liking me Kiba I mean like seriously LIKE me." Temari said now gripping Akamaru's fur. She was being unnaturally nervous. The nin-dog growled warningly at Kiba, urging him to speak openly.

"Why are you asking me this Temari?" he asked quietly. He didn't want this, the time they spent together, to end just because she wasn't ready for or didn't want something that he had resigned himself to. He would hide it forever just so that she could recover. But then hadn't he already promised himself to give in when she wanted to stop and not be hurt by it?

"I want to know, I need to." she answered and moved around to sit beside him. Her hand was still resting in Akamaru's fur. "Tell me Kiba."

He turned his gaze to her. She was blocking the moon but its radiance glowed around her like a halo. Could she ever not look good? She was going to kill him like this. He swallowed hard.

"Yes." he said simply. Temari released a low breath. He was watching her intently now half waiting for her to declare their game over. He watched as conflicting emotions ran lightly across her eyes though the rest if her face as impassive. He propped himself up onto his elbows raising a brow at her unmoving form. "Temari?"

"Yea?" she asked distracted

"Are you ok?" Kiba asked sitting up and turning to face her. He could smell her confusion. He reached forward to touch her face then moved it upward to her forehead to almost lovingly check for a fever. She could be sick, she didn't smell sick but being out in the night air like this would probably make her sick. He'd have to make sure she got home soon.

He was so deep in his thoughts he didn't realise that Temari had moved any closer to him. Nor that Akamaru had gone suspiciously silent. He was greatly oblivious until he felt the slight sweet pressure of Temari's lips against his. He was shocked still. He was still unmoving when she pulled away to look at him.

"Me too." she whispered with a slight smile. He suddenly realised how nervous she was. He couldn't help smile, that was definitely boosting his ego. "Oh shit me."

"Excuse me?" Kiba asked surprised at the sudden comment. Where had that come from?

Temari was irritated with herself. She was acting like a little girl; she was twenty for crying out loud! She was a woman! A woman! Curses!

"You're so weird." Kiba laughed and she glared at him. He couldn't help laughing even more. "What now? Anything else you want to talk about?"

"Can we stay the same?" she asked and he smiled. "Except we do this for real, not because of a game."

"Of course." he said. He would like that very much.


	12. Irritators And Annoyances

Chapter 12- irritators and annoyances

Gaara was anticipating his short stay in Konoha greatly for several reasons. He'd get to see Naruto, the Chunin exams were bound to be interesting and he could quite possibly get the chance to hunt whoever Temari's boyfriend was and ensure that whoever he was wouldn't dare do anything stupid. While normally he would never leave his village this was important for the treaty, Suna's morale and the doom of Temari's suitor. Besides the council all but kicked him out the village leaving Kankuro in charge for the time being. As if that wasn't enough but he had to travel with a guard and a few of Suna's nobles. Socialisation was extremely annoying. He loved Suns but socialising was still a killer.

He was extremely happy when the gates of Konoha finally came into view. No more nobles! He was even happier to finally separate from them. Not that he would let that happiness show. Gaara quickly went to visit Tsunade. The sooner this was over the sooner he could get to his other business and visit Naruto.

"Ah Kazekage-sama." Tsunade greeted smiling at the distraction from her work. He gave her a respectful nod.

"Let's make this quick." he said and she scowled at him.

XXXXX

Temari was happy to see her brother. She was happy that he was well. She was happy that he was happy to see his friends, Naruto and Lee. She was not happy that he found it prudent to invade in her space and recruit their dear friends to go on another attempt to invade her privacy by trying to spy her to find out who she was seeing! Annoying pricks, the lot of them.

Now she was stomping her way to Ichiraku's to get some ramen and if any of those spies where there kill them too. That would make her day alot better. She sighed when she got there. Nope no spies but there was Shikamaru. No spies but there had the be one of the two people she still just didn't have the heart to talk to. The other one would be Ino. She sat down anyway after giving the boy a respectfully nod of acknowledgement. She ordered her ramen and silently waited.

"They're digging in your life again." Shikamaru commented. She inwardly sighed. Not something she wanted to talk about especially not with Shikamaru. This conversation would be so much more fun with Kiba.

"I know." she told him. With a half smile. Definitely not someone she wanted to talk to now. "My brother is something else."

There was silence for a moment before he spoke again. "You know you could just stop it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked incredulously as her bowl was placed before her.

"I know what you and Kiba are doing." he said and she expertly hid her surprise with a huge slurp. How could he know? But then he was a genius wasn't he? "While I admire that you would do this much to make me jealous-"

He was cut off by Temari choking on her noodles. "Jealous? Excuse me? Where did you get that from?"

"It's quite obvious Temari." he said with a sigh. She raised both her brows at him. "It's best if you stop though. This might evolve into something you can't control."

"What makes you even think this is about you?"

"Troublesome." he muttered then took a sip of his ramen. It was obvious that this whole thing was about him. How could it not be? It was designed to make him jealous and guess what it was working. It's been working like crazy. It's like everyone wants to know about Temari. Even the jonin were interested, the little gossips they were! He could go nowhere without hearing whispers. A few people had even asked him if he knew. Him! Ofcourse he didn't tell. Kiba could be down right scary and he knew the guy wouldn't hesitate to carry through with that threat to make only his head stick out of the ground.

"You are unbelievable!" Temari said with an agitated growl. She stuck her chop sticks unto the ramen with a scowl. "Because of you? Yea freaking right."

Shikamaru knew it was best to leave girls like Temari alone when they were angry but just because he knew didn't mean his mouth knew. "Then why? Why not?"

"It's not about you, it's about us. It was never about you." she she said vehemently. "To think you thought so much about yourself. It's not like I'm anything to be jealous for anyway. You've got Ino, miss I'm-so-freaking-hot-look-at-my-curves! Don't be jealous for me Shikamaru 'cause I'm not jealous of Ino. I don't need your jealousy and I don't want it either. The one thing I need, I'm already getting."

"This is for sex?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Do I look loose to you?" she asked disgusted. How could he even think like that? "If I'm loose what the hell do you call your girlfriend?"

"Hey-"

"No, you 'hey'. My current relationship is in no way related to you and if you knew anything about it you'd shut the hell up!" she said to him and he stared at her wide eyed almost sure she would grab her fan and whack him with it. She smiled sweetly at him, too sweet. Warning bells instantly went off in his head. "If you are at all the genius that everyone says you are, you'll run. Pay your bill and leave."

He was gone instantly, leaving nothing but the money for his food.

She had known her day would get worse but to think that Shikamaru thought so little of her was... Painful. It didn't matter that they weren't to together or even that close anymore, it still hurt. That went to show just how great their relationship had been. There were certain things she wouldn't do and having a relationship just for sex was one of them. No matter how hard being a ninja got.

She quickly ate her ramen, she couldn't savour it anymore. She paid and left. She was irritated with the entire conversation. It had been ok to begin with but she had known from the beginning that it wouldn't end well. She spun at the sound of her name behind her. She half smiled at the three running towards her. Just seeing them made her feel alittle better.

"Hey." she greeted bending to pick up Sanji. He was growing up fast. They had already needed to change his basket soon he wouldn't be carried anymore.

"He is fantastic." Kiba told her excitedly and Akamaru woofed in agreement. "He's ready to train with you now."

"That's probably the best news I've heard all day."

"Well I have more news for you and I'm not sure if it's good or bad. It's kinda bad for me but it usually a good thing." he said and suddenly she was apprehensive.

"Go on." she urged.

"I got a mission." he told her and she sighed. There would be no Kiba later to make her day better. Could it not get any better. "I'm not going to be back until the end of the week and by that time you'll already be gone."

"When are you leaving?"

"Next half an hour." he answered with a slight shrug.

"So soon." she whined and just when they were going to get serious. She wasn't going to see him again for two months. Two whole months! Her day really was crappie.

XXX

Shikamaru watched in silence as he analysed the scene from a safe distance. He had been watching her for awhile wondering if he should go back and apologise for his slip of tongue but he had decided against that after witnessing her try murder her food then leave. He was going to just go about his business when he saw Kiba approach her. He briefly wondered why Kiba had Sanji but disregard it as something veterinary and possible their excuse for being around each other if the fact that they weren't making their relationship public. He had watched as they spoke too far away for him to hear reading lips would be eavesdropping by lip reading and it would just be troublesome.

As he watched them part the thought hit him. He had assumed this was to make him jealous but if it was why was the relationship private? Surely one more public would be more fruitful. The only public part was that Temari actually told people that she was seeing someone, she had never told anyone who that was. How many people actually believe her? All their immediate friends seemed to. But did they really?

Another part of this whole thing was that Kiba acted like everyone else as if he wasn't aware of this. This whole thing was supposed to be a secret. The guy had even threatened him, a threat he'd rather not have come true thank you very much.

That lead him to another question what if it wasn't really Kiba? Who would it be then? Did he care to know? Did he really want to know? Why was he thinking about this so much anyway? Did Temari even think about him anymore? If she did were they good or bad thoughts? Why did it matter? Was he really jealous of this whole troublesome complicated thing? What were they really planning? Why couldn't he, the genius, figure it out? What made this whole thing so frigging complicated? What the hell were they planning?

Damn them! This was unreasonably frustrating! What ever they were planning he would be watching.

"Troublesome."

XXXXX

Why couldn't he find this guy? Gaara had been searching around for the mysterious 'boyfriend' for the two days that he had been in Konoha. He had Naruto's help and a few others but no one them could even find a clue who it was. Who ever it was was either good or well hidden, very well hidden. It was his third day and he'd have to be leaving in a few hours with Temari and the nobles. The rest of his time would have to be spent with Naruto.

"So like I said we have alot of things to do in the next few hours." the blond said finishing up his long list of things to do. All Gaara wanted to do was find this very elusive person and make sure he didn't do the same to his sister as Shikamaru. That would make his day and the few days of travel back to the village with the nobles No such luck though but we wasn't fining up. He'd find a way to dig that lowlife out of his hiding place and destroy him even if it meant scouring the all the countries for him. Well, he wouldn't go that far, maybe only Konoha. He couldn't go to Tsunade with this, he was already utilising her ninja thorough friendship he wouldn't even try doing it through a ninja mission. That wouldn't be the proper use of ninja and the Kazekage could never use his nin like that... nor could he use other Kages nins. Well that sucks.

He and Naruto were currently having breakfast at Ichiraku's and Naruto was putting it away quickly. Gaara watched on only pushing the food around in his own bowl of ramen. He couldn't be bothered with food, there were too many things to think about. Temari would kill him if she knew he wasn't eating.

With that thought he blessed the food and began eating only to be dragged away by Naruto. This morning would be a long morning. Who knew where they were headed now.


	13. In Suna There Are Cold Nights But Those Can Be Remedied

Chapter 13- In Suna there are cold nights but those can be remedied.

Two and a half weeks later

'Should I take this or that?' the blond considered looking at both items. Both contained Gaara's favourite foods. 'Which to choose?'

She picked both of them up and began walking back to the Kazekage's office. He'd pick which one he wanted and she would eat the other. She wasn't picky, she was hungry and if she was he definitely should be since he didn't eat breakfast. She'd be damned if he didn't eat something. She walked up to the office and kicked the door open.

Gaara looked up at her intrusion and glared. His eyes fell to the plates in her hand then promptly turned back to his papers. There were so much other things to deal with than 'food'. Temari wouldn't have any of it.

"Come on Gaara. You have to eat." she whined placing the plates on his table. He ignored them and the fact that they were on the papers that he actually needed to read. "Just pick one, they're your favourites."

"Will you leave me alone?" he grumbled after a while. She smiled at his glare.

"For now." she answered sampling both dishes for him. "You know I wouldn't bother you if you'd eat on your own."

Gaara half grunted ignoring her. He picked up on of the dishes and began the slow process of actually eating. He was still working on the paperwork Temari had so rudely interrupted. He was almost done when Matsuri came to announce the arrival of a team from Konoha. He quickly pushed away the plate and told her to allow them in. He then ignored the pointed glare Temari was giving him as she removed the plate from his desk to put on a tray a little way from him. Her back was to the door when the three ninja entered.

"Kazekage-sama." the leader for this particular mission greeted.

"ANBU-san." Gaara returned with a steady look. "Report?"

"Short mission to guard our client for the next four days." the leader replied as Temari finally turned to stand with Gaara. She hid her surprise at seeing the Wolf mask. She hadn't expected to see him so soon or even in Suna. She openly looked from one ANBU to the other as they continued the short talk. It was sad really. While Kiba was here she wouldn't get to see him or talk to him anyway. Damn ANBU.

She watched silently as they left the office then quickly placed Gaara's plate before him again with a grin. He glared at the plate before looking at her distastefully.

"Are you serious?" he asked her and she smirked dangerously at him and bent to be level with his face.

"Try me." she said and he quickly picked up his chop sticks. An angry Temari was a whirlwind of pain. She smiled at him when he began to eat.

XXXXXX

The day had been a long one. Making sure that Gaara kept his health was one hell of a job. He spent too much time doing paperwork and not enough time eating resting or even taking a break. To add to it all he was stubborn. How Temari even got him to do anything was a mystery to her.

Temari slipped into her apartment and instantly headed to the bathroom. Aside from making sure Gaara didn't stress himself she had sort of been a messenger and had helped with the paperwork as well. Even though Temari loved her brother she was glad she wasn't the Kazekage.

After a relaxing bath Temari pulled on her night clothes and began getting ready for bed. It was already past ten and she didn't have anything to do so she might as well go to bed. She was supposed to watch Gaara the next day so it was best if she woke up early. She liked getting as much sleep as possible when she wasn't on a mission.

"Wow, it was easier to find you than I thought it would be." Temari spun quickly with a kunai ready. It took a second to process the figure of Kiba leaning in through her window. She put her kunai away in one swift movement to raise a brow at him.

"Whatever do you mean?" she asked.

"This place has your scent all over it." he answered and she marvelled at how he could possible look so comfortable hanging from her window by his elbows.

"Shouldn't you be busy elsewhere?" she asked walking towards the window how he managed to shrug from there was a feat of it's own.

"My watch ended a few minutes ago. I should be sleeping." he answered

"And yet you're here. Why?"

"My bed was cold." he answered with a devious smile. Her eyes narrowed at him. "Speaking of which, out here is a little chilly, will you let me in?"

"It depends. Do you hold any ulterior motives?"

"Nope." he answered and she watched him for a moment before nodding her ascent. He instantly crawled through the window in a very un-ninja like fashion but then he wasn't dressed very ninja-like either. He had on a plain dark blue t-shirt and loose fitting pants.

"What does your bed being cold have to do with me?"

"Want to warm it for me?"

"Nope."

"Then can we share yours?"

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you're considerate and nice and warm and I'm warm too and it's gonna be comfy?" he answered innocently. Her eyes narrowed at him and he smiled along with his innocent look.

"Are you sure you didn't come with ulterior motives?" she asked hiding her smile at his antics. She watched wearily as he closed the space between them.

"I just came to be warm." he replied pulling her into a hug, which she automatically returned, before whispering into her ear. "And I missed you."

Temari fought the blush that threatened to take over. She had to admit, it felt good to be missed. She pushed away from him and slapped him in the chest playfully.

"Yea right." she said sarcastically and stepped away.

"You wound me." he said dramatically falling into the small sofa in a corner of the room. She smiled and performed an exaggerated version of throwing an imaginary kunai at him. He rolled his eyes at her. He then turned his attention to the rest of her room. It was just as he had expected it to be. It wasn't girly or bland. It had the right mix of girl, ninja and Temari. It just fit. Strangely, he didn't see her fan.

"So," Temari began, pulling his attention back to her. She was sitting on the end of her bed watching him. "Are you going to stare at my room all day or are you going to talk to me?"

"Of course I'll lend you my attention." he answered and she rolled her eyes at his cheesy grin.

"How's Konoha?"

"The usual. There is still a little talk about you but nothing too significant." Kiba answered with a hint of a smile. "Shikamaru seems to be brooding a little though."

"Brooding?" Temari laughed. "You make him sound like Sasuke. It probably too troublesome to brood anyway."

"Whatever you say." he shrugged. It looked like brooding to him. Shikamaru seemed more into his own world and sometimes he'd give Kiba a calculating look before either walking off on his own or due to a glare Kiba shot his way. It was getting to be unnerving and irritating. Kiba was getting more tempted too so his irritation in a way that was bound to be painful to the receiver. Anyway back to Temari. "What about you? How's it been so far?"

"Well," Temari said pulling her legs onto the bed to wrapped her arms around them and rest her head on her knees with a thoughtful look. It was then that Kiba noticed that not only was Temari wearing night clothes but that they consisted of a short fitting shirt and short shorts that showed off her rather long legs. He smiled as she began telling him how it was nice to be around her brothers again, oblivious to his wandering gaze. Those legs were really nice. He was really liking her choice of sleepwear, it showed off all her curves. Those were some awesome curves. He always knew she had beautiful curves but that was an understatement. He was brought out of his thoughts when something soft slapped him in the face.

"You're not listening to me!" Temari exclaimed throwing her hands up and he slowly removed the t-shirt that she had thrown at him from his face. "Unbelievable. You come into my house and won't even listen to me. Shame on you."

"Um Temari?" Kiba asked looking quizzically at the shirt in his hands. She glared at him. "Why is my shirt in your room?"

...

'Crap' Temari thought into the silence. She shouldn't have thrown the first thing she grabbed. It had been so conveniently placed right beside her on the bed.

"Where did you get this? I've been looking for it for more than a week now." Kiba asked staring at the shirt wide eyed. How was going to explain to him that yes it was his shirt and she had taken it when she went to visit Tsume and Hana? "Temari?"

"Yea?" she answered with a shaky smile. He raised a brow at her and shook the shirt waiting for her to explain. "Um well, you were gone and I went to see your mom and I found it and I took it 'cause you were gone and it helps me sleep sometimes."

"Oh...Kay."

"How'd you know it was missing anyway, you've got a ton of shirts?"

"I only have two black shirts. I could only find one." he answered absently. Soon he focused on her with a smirk. That did not go too well with Temari. "You missed me."

"Pardon?" she asked watching as he rose from his seat. This did not bode well.

"You missed me." he stalked towards her. She scooted further onto her bed and away from him.

"What are you doing?" she asked but he ignored her question.

"You missed me." he taunted quickly grabbing her ankle. She gripped the other end of the bed but it was no use when he pulled her roughly to him and only sheets came with her. She found herself wrapped in his arms from behind as he smirked into her ear. "You missed me so much you couldn't sleep without me so you stole my shirt so you could sleep better. You little thief."

"You can have the shirt. It hardly smells like you anymore anyway." she whined wiggling and trying to get away from him. She was surprised when he let her go and she fell face first into her bed.

"That can be remedied." he said and she rolled over just in time to see him rip off his shirt and throw it over his shoulder and into the sofa he left behind. If Temari had been paying attention she would have noticed the smirk that played across his lips when her eyes raked across his well defined tanned chest and abs. Her eyes rested on the one piece of jewellery hanging around his neck, her gift to him, before she was snapped out of the miniature trance when he pulled the other shirt down.

"You can't help but stare, can you?" he said sexily running a hand through his hair with a smirk. "I know I'm tasty but control your drool, baby."

"You are so full of yourself." she said but subconsciously wiped at her mouth. There's no way she could have been drooling.

"You can be full of me too." he commented smirking and Temari shot him a look.

"Seriously?"

"I can fill your mind with constant thoughts of me." he said then looked at her with feigned innocence. "What did you think I meant?"

"Shut up."

"I'm so frigging tired!" he groaned and falling onto the bed and knocking her down with him. "Come to bed honey."

"What the hell?" Temari grumbled trying to pull away from the grip Kiba had her in. Curse him for his size and strength and muscle that felt really good but still. She couldn't move! She froze when he rested his head on the nape of her neck.

"Relax. I just want to sleep." he grumbled and she felt his hot breath against her skin. "Good night Temari."

"Good night." she mumbled. She swore she felt him smile.


	14. A Brotherly Plot

Chapter 14- A Brotherly Plot

"I don't think we've been too thorough." Kankuro commented to his brother. Gaara looked up from his work momentarily. They were both in his office. He was working while Kankuro was 'watching' him. "Seeing those leaf ANBU yesterday reminded me that we have gotten absolutely nowhere with our Temari case."

"True." Gaara said with a frown but turned back to his papers. His stack was actually lessening.

"I think we need a more direct approach." Kankuro said leaning back in his seat thoughtfully.

"Direct approach?" Gaara muttered.

"Yea, we haven't tried just asking her directly, have we?" Gaara looked up at his brother. It was true. They hadn't tried that yet.

"But would that even work?"

"Only one way to find out." Kankura answered getting up and stretching. Gaara completed the paper he was on before getting up to join him. When was the last time they visited Temari at her home.

XXXXX

Temari had woke quiet happily despite not seeing Kiba when she did. She knew it wasn't a dream, the shirt he had switched was still draped over the small sofa that was in her room. she got up and hurriedly went to have a bath. She was going to be late if she didn't.

She had just finished her bath and stepped out of her bathroom in her towel when Gaara and Kankuro entered. She smiled at them.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked happily. Kankuro smiled back at her.

"Figured we could come do a morning visit." he answered "And maybe have some brother sister conversations."

"Isn't that thoughtful." Temari said pulling his cheeks. The other hand held her towel firmly in place. "What do you guys have to talk about? Have you eaten breakfast yet Gaara?"

"No." Gaara answered as he watched Temari go to the kitchen.

"We were wondering how your little dating thing was going." Kankuro said nudging Gaara when Temari's back was turned.

"We're… concerned." the red head added as Kankuro looked around for any clues.

"You shouldn't be. We're going on so well." she said from the kitchen.

"Are you sure about that?" Kankuro asked loudly.

"Absolutely. He's just the best there is. He's just so great." she answered and some movement could be heard in the kitchen.

"Weren't you absolutely sure last time?" Gaara asked and Kankuro quickly switched to just standing around with his hands in his pockets when Temari stepped back into the living room.

"There are some leftovers on the table." Temari said still smiling before giving Gaara a death glare. "Be sure to eat."

"What is that?" Gaara asked staring pointedly at the shining thing that they'd missed the first time. Both his siblings eyes followed his to the circlet/armlet around her upper arm.

"You didn't see it?" Temari asked in surprise. At their dumbfounded looks she giggled. "I've had it for more than a month now."

"No, we didn't see it." Gaara said tightly. This guy was moving too fast for his liking. Kankuro was too struck by the boldness of whoever the dick was that gave her something so personal like and did his sister just giggle? Did THE Sabaku no Temari just giggle? WHAT THE HELL!

"So who exactly gave it to you? I'd like to ask him where he found such a beautifully crafted piece." Kankuro said pushing his shock aside. She grinned at them.

"Wouldn't you like to know." she said before happily skipping off to her room and closing the door behind her. The two watched after her.

"So that's how she's gonna play this." Kankuro said through grit teeth.

"She skipped." Gaara stated and Kankuro raised a brow at him. They pushed that disturbing thought out of their heads. Their sister did not skip, ever. "New plan: quick search."

Both were still for a moment before jumping to digging through her stuff ninja style. This was getting out of hand. Even if this Temari didn't want to show them her boyfriend yet did this boy really have no morals that he didn't push to be introduced?

"This is shit." Kankuro said we shouldn't have to be digging like this.

"Maybe we shouldn't be." Gaara grumbled at his lack of anything that could help them. Kankuro turned to him with a stern face that left no argument.

"You could tell me that if she told us who he is. Until then we have every right to know who this guy is so we can do our duty as her brothers and teach that guy not to mess with her. We didn't do that with Shikamaru and look what happened! From now on, constant vigilance!"

"Constant vigilance!" Gaara echoed with a nod.

"Constant vigilance in what?" Temari asked coming from her room fully dressed. The boys instantly took unassuming stances as if they were never snooping.

"Suna's defences." Gaara lied easily. Temari looked at them with suspicion burning in her eyes.

"Do you have any ideas what we could do to boost them some more?" Kankuro asked because despite everything Temari was smart and while the whole topic was a lie it would still do good if they needed to come back up it later.

"I'll have to think about it." she said thoughtfully and they followed her to the kitchen for her to prepare breakfast for them. they watched as she moved deftly around the small kitchen.

"We know who it is." Kankuro said suddenly and Gaara looked at him wide eyed. Temari had her back to them as she prepared the food.

"Hm? Who what is?" she said distractedly. Kankuro gave Gaara a wink behind her back. Gaara rose a non-existent eyebrow questioningly.

"Your precious boyfriend."

"He is precious, isn't he?" she muttered thinking about all the times she was tempted to slap him because of some joke innuendo or statement. Yup, he was precious (sarcasm people). "How do you know him?"

"Met him once." Kankuro stated watching his sister closely.

"Not surprising, he travels alot." she commented.

"He's a merchant?" Gaara asked but was met with no answer.

"If he travels so much how do you guys even spend time together?"

"We have our ways." she smirked at him. Both brothers frowned but dug into the food she placed in front of them. "Why are you two so adamant about who I'm dating?"

"The last one hurt you Temari." Gaara said calmly.

We couldn't do anything about i."

"Exactly. So stop beating yourself up about it. He wasn't the first one." she told them. At the last sentence her brothers looked at her shocked.

"There was another one?" they both asked and Temari immediately realised her error.

'Now they wouldn't drop the man hunt on Kiba.' she thought mentally slapping herself.

"Who was that bastard?" Kankuro asked. He's hands were already itching to hurt him. All he needed was a name. That was another that hurt his sister. Gaara sat stiffly beside him barely holding his temper. If it was a Konoha nin he couldn't very well punish them but if he was from Suna well that would be the first time Gaara ever used his power for personal gain. Thinking about it brought his thoughts to a conversation he had with one Shikamaru Nara.

FLASHBACK

The lazy brunette looked up from his papers to look at the stoic red-head towering before him. He wasn't that tall but from a sitting position with that smoother intensity directed at you he could very well be touching the ceiling. Sometimes Shikamaru forgot just how intimidating Gaara could be, how intimidating any of the Sand sibling could be. 

"Can I help you Kazekage-sama?" he asked swallowing the urge to curl in on himself. 

"I'm not here as the Kazekage." the red-head stated and Shikamaru instantly knew this wasn't going to end well. His mind was already formulating plans of escape. Most of them had a high probability of failure, some were definitely failures and the handful that could work, were only temporary. 

"How may I help you?"

"You can begin by explain to me exactly what happened, why it happened, why you didn't stop it, when did you realise your wrongs and why you didn't correct them." Gaara stated in a professional monotone as he gracefully sat in the chair across from Shikamaru with a emotionless expression. The cork in the gourd he had rested beside him popped out and sand was lifted slowly from the gourd in tendrils by Gaara's sand. There was no way out of this for Shikamaru. 

"Well," Shikamaru began wearily watching the sand form a figure that looked suspiciously like him. "Well, I cheated on Temari with Ino."

Gaara's face remained impassive but the figure lost a leg and began to move as if hopping. Yup, that figure was definitely him. 

"It happened because... I don't know really." he said and winced when the 'sand Shikamaru' had his arm twisted to an awkward angle. "We were together one evening and we were talking and one thing lead to another."

Gaara gave the equivalent of a snort and the arm broke in three places. 

"I was under alot of stress from work and I wasn't thinking clearly. I realised the next morning."

"When?" Gaara asked and Shikamaru's eyes shifted from the figure to look at Gaara. 

"Three months before she found out." he answered softly. The figure lost it's unbroken arm in a splay of sand blood and fell down on it's one good knee in anguish. 

"How many times?"

"What?"

"How many times before she found out?"

"I… don't know." he answered. And the second leg was removed. What was left of the figure lay suspended on its side. That signified a lot of pain. Gaara was still as impassive as ever. 

"Why didn't you correct it?" More sand moved to join the figure to form a model of Shikamaru's head and one of a kunai. Shikamaru wasn't liking where this was going. 

"I don't know." he answered nervously gripping his chair. The kunai made a small cut on the cheek of the model. It was small but it bled sand. 

"Are you that ungrateful, sadistic and stupid?"

'Sadistic? You're the one being sadistic!' Shikamaru wanted to say but was frozen when the sand kunai made another small cut on the other cheek. That model was very vivid. 

"Are you suicidal?" Gaara asked making a deeper cut to cross the last one. No answer once again. "To be truthful, I believe she hasn't repaid you with the proper amount of zeal and suffering that she should. She was too lenient. That will be remedied soon enough though."

"W-what do you mean?" Shikamaru stammered out as Gaara's attention finally shifted to the model and wasn't staring right at him. He soon realised that wasn't a good thing, the sand kunai began moving with more purposeful strokes. 

"You're the genius, you tell me." the red-head answered distractedly, seemingly entranced by his own creation. "Nevermind you seem to have taken a dose of the idiot medicine recently."

The point of the sand kunai hovered over the model's head and Shikamaru had a sinking feeling. 

"This may very well be you." Gaara muttered and the kunai moved swiftly downwards and the sand dispersered on contact. He rose from his seat as the sand rushed back into his gourd and re-corked it. "Good day, my duties dictate several things and a treaty prevents several others."

Shikamaru watched as the intimidating man left. He understood the message clearly. 'If I weren't Kazekage and there wasn't a treaty, you'd be dead.'

FLASHBACK END

"No one you need to worry about." she answered with a shrug. "Why did you two come here in the first place?"

"We just came to see you." Kankuro answered alittle too quickly. Her eyes narrowed at him.

XXXXX

"Well nothing has been working so far." Gaara sighed tenderly touching the sore spot on his leg where Temari had hit him with her fan when she found out the real reason for visiting. He was sitting carefully in his seat in his office with a nice bit of ice cooling his leg.

"We need to hit harder be more thorough." Kankuro said. He was pacing but the ice pack he held to his head was a sign that he had not remained untouched by her angry swings. "We need a new plan."

"The girls." Gaara suddenly suggested.

"Yes! Are they here? When will they be back?" Kankuro was immediately at his desk. Gaara shook his head in a no as he pulled out their mission file to check.

"Not until next week." he answered putting the file back.

"They'll pry it right out of her." Kankuro said darkly rubbing his hands together as a smirk spread across his painted face. A face of true terror. Gaara watched him wearily. Kankuro was getting to the stage of obsession quickly.


	15. The Last Nights

Chapter 15 - the last nights

Laughter echoed through Temari's room. Kiba was there once again and they were both lying in her bed talking.

"Then he was like 'No Temari! Not the fan man! Not the fan' and was running all around my apartment."

"Gaara said that?"

"No actually that was Kankuro but Gaara was running and trying to be calm about 'Temari, that thing is metal, imma kill you if you hit me with that.'"

"'Imma'?" Kiba asked with a raised brow. Temari nodded and he laughed heartily. He tried imagining Gaara saying that but it just wasn't working. "I think you're exaggerating."

"I'm not. When I hit Gaara in the leg he fell on the floor and told me off that I was evil and I'm lucky we're related or I'd be 'suffering' for this 'insubordination'."

"You are definitely joking." Kiba said not believing a word but enjoying it all.

"No, I'm not!" she protested before continuing her story. "Then when I hit Kankuro in the head he screamed 'you cracked my skull open you bitch!' then I yelled back at him 'shut up you conniving wench!' and he yelled 'wench? How come?'. So then I shouted 'I don't know but get out.' and shoved him and Gaara through the door."

"Your family is interesting." he said around a yawn. A faint smile dulled by tiredness graced his lips as he stared at her.

"Yours is crazy." she countered

"Mine is energetic. Yours is crazy." he clarified poking her in the cheek.

"They're both crazy."

"That's what you say." he said poking her again.

"Whatever. Do you know that after all of that they had the audacity to tell me I had to go to this formal dinner party thing in two days?" she said watching as with every word his eyes closed a little more.

"Really?" was the muttered reply. Sleep was rapidly claiming him. Sixteen hours of guard duty constantly on high alert and on your feet did that to a person. To add to that they had been talking for almost two hours now.

"Yea and Gaara dyed his hair in sand purple and pink swirl and Kankuro suddenly wears dresses everywhere he goes." she lied watching him.

"Don't dye your hair. I like it blond." he muttered reaching out to pat her head, completely misunderstanding her.

"I said Gaara dyed his hair pink and purple swirls." she repeated.

"That's not true." he grumbled after a moment of thought.

"Obviously. Just checking if you were awake." she said discreetly watching as his face scrunched in distaste. "I also said Kankuro started wearing dresses everywhere."

He answered in an unrecognisable mumble.

"What?" she asked only to be met with more unrecognisable garble. "Go to sleep Kiba."

There was a short snort and she watched in the semi-dark of the room as he relaxed behind closed eyes and his breath evened out. He really was an attractive person.

Temari carefully shifted closer to him and hesitantly reached out a hand to touch his cheek lightly. She trailed a finger down the Inuzuka marking under her finger. He didn't move seemingly already in a deep sleep. Her finger trailed across to his lips and she was drawn to them. They were just there before she was sure of what she was doing, she levered herself up on her elbow to be able to reach him. The moonlight from the window was once again highlighting his hair in silver. She leaned down softly and lightly pressed her lips to his. She pulled away to see his eyes still closed but he was smirking. Caught.

"Irresistible even in my sleep." he muttered in a sleepy voice and she slapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"Jerk." she said even as she snuggled into his chest. His arms wrapped around her easily. "Where's Akamaru?"

He sighed. "He couldn't come. Do you plan on letting me sleep?"

"You would be warm if you had him." she left off the 'then you wouldn't have to be here'. Why did he have to catch her? He'd never let her live it down once he was awake enough to taunt her.

"Seriously?" he asked shifting to look at her. "Do you not plan on letting me sleep?"

"Whatever." she grumbled not looking at him.

"Good night to you too." he said lying down again. There was a moment's pause before he heard the barest whisper of 'good night'.

XXXXX

The next night, Kiba slipped into Temari's room to emptiness. She was not in the room but he could sense her chakra in the rest of the apartment. He slipped out of the room being completely silent. He ghosted across the room to the door on his left. He paused in front of the door judging the amount of force to use. He then proceeded to kick the door down with one swift swing of his foot.

"Tema-" he shouted as the door banged open. Seeing Temari bent on her hands and knees in only her towel with so much creamy skin exposed, a smirk slid into place on his face and his tone dropped deeper "-ri".

Her shocked expression shifted to one of anger quickly as she glared at him her face burning into a red colour. A feeling of impending doom washed over him even as Temari rose with a snarl.

"YOU!" she shouted launching herself at him and landing a flying kick to his jaw sending him reeling over the back of her sofa a couple feet back. He was half way off the floor when he saw a shadow of movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up.

"Oh shit!" he commented when he saw Temari coated in righteous fury wielding her fan (that she pulled from who-knows-where) like a club, coming down for a skull shattering strike. Kiba was barely able to avoid the fan but the centre table had no such luck and was split in half.

"Temari?" he asked carefully as she lifted her fan again. She lunged at him and he immediately took off running. "What are you doing?"

"Stay still you bastard!" she yelled, hot on his heels

"Hell no!" he yelled back dodging another swing of the fan. She followed each one up quickly with another. "Why the hell are you chasing me? Are you trying to cream me with that thing?"

"Yes!" she screamed swinging her fan even harder. It was obvious she wasn't going up stop until she hit him.

"Temari?" a voice called from the other side of the front door. They both froze and Temari recognised it as Kankuro's voice. "Are you ok?

"Yup, just caught a cricket. Victory is mine!" she answered with a pathetic excuse. Both she and Kiba were still frozen in place.

"Um. Ok." he said uncertainly. "Well I'm going out so enjoy your cricket."

"Yup." Temari answered and they listened keenly as Kankuro walked away from the door. Kiba was about to heave a sigh of relief when Temari swung her fan once again and he erupted in pain. "Sucka!"

XX

"How was supposed to know it was the bathroom?" he whined putting the pack of ice she handed him on his cheek, where she had kicked him. His back was on fire where she had hit him with the fan.

"You think that's the only thing I'm mad at you for?" She asked with barely concealed anger. "I'm angry at you for this!"

She pointed to the red mark adorning her neck.

"I was wondering how I even managed to get that there without you waking up." he commented awed at his own doing. He tilted his head to the side questioningly. "Are you that comfortable with me in such close quarters?"

Temari shot him a glare but didn't answer, choosing to fold her arms angrily instead.

"Could you not do that?" he asked and eying her wearily. She was still in her towel and her crossed arms were not helping to hide her generous bust. If anything they enhanced it. "Do you plan on ever dressing yourself or have you decided to go all Amazonian on me and wear your towel and only your towel everywhere?"

"No wonder it's so chilly." she said walking away and into her room with a thoughtful expression. Kiba stared after her disbelievingly.

How does one not realise they are wearing only a towel or more importantly how did it not fall off in all her running and jumping and manhandling? Not to mention how had he not seen anything, not even a glimpse? Oh, that's right; he was running for his life, no time to check out the girl in a towel. Curses to self-preservation. Look how far that got him. His back was killing.

"You do know today is my last day right?" Kiba asked when she came back from her room. "The mission ended tonight."

"Wow so you're going back tomorrow." she commented walking over to where he sat in her sofa.

"Yea." he said adjusting the pack of ice.

"Don't your teammates wonder where you are?" she asked turning him by his shoulders so that his back was to her.

"Nope." he answered as he allowed her to lift his shirt to look at his back. He winced slightly at the pain shifting caused but continued speaking. "Usually I have my break alone tonight but we're pretty much free to do anything we want. The one that's actually rested is out doing who knows what and the other one is relaxing in our little quarters that only has one small bed. For all they know I have another mission to take care of."

"Outside of your ANBU gear?" Temari asked with a raised brow as she began to poke the bruise. It's was a huge one.

"Yup and now I can say I got this nasty bruise while on that mission when they ask why I can't move anymore." he said cheerfully looking over his shoulder at her. "Thank you for authenticating my fake mission and nearly making me a cripple."

"Big words Kiba." she congratulated still checking the bruise.

"I am not an idiot Temari. Besides you learn things when you're on the same team as Shino. I know way too much about bugs for someone not an Aburame. It's almost creepy." he said and Temari smiled from behind him.

"I know how you feel. I know so much about puppets that I don't care to know. Knowing about poisons isn't so bad though." she stood pulling him with her. "Go lie down. I've got some stuff that will make it heal faster."

He had barely made it into the bed before she was back with a small jar. She rolled him onto his stomach and pushed the shirt up again.

"Do you do this for every guy you slap with that demon fan?" Kiba asked as her hands worked magic on his aching back.

"Only the ones I like and don't call my fan a demon." she answered delivering a hard poke to his back. I'm going to have to do some maintenance on it because of you.

"I never told you to hit me with it or to split the table in two with it."

"The table wouldn't have been split if you'd just taken the hit like a man."

"No ninja purposefully takes a hit like that. That's suicide." he told her strongly. "You should call that the Temari Strike of Death."

"The Temari Strike of Death." she repeated. "Not bad. I like it."

"Hey. You're very good at this." he murmured out seconds later.

"I'm just getting the ointment in."

"Nope. You were done with that a little while now, you just like touching me." he said smiling into the pillow already happily half asleep

"Keep fooling yourself." she said but he was almost right. She had gotten comfortable with what she was doing and hadn't realised she had already done what she was supposed to be doing. She gave him one more rub before pulling his shirt back down and shifted to stare at him from her sitting position.

"You're so tired." she muttered running a hand through his hair.

XX

Temari woke the next morning to an empty room. She rolled onto her side to a crunching sound. She sat up pulling the offending bit of paper from under her. It was a quick note from Kiba.

Temari

Had to leave earlier than usual to travel back to Konoha. We won't be seeing each other for at least a month and a half so I'm going to miss your bed and you of course (mostly the bed :) kidding). I have taken something of yours just like you took my shirt (hope you like its smell now by the way). 

Kiba

Temari was out if her bed immediately digging through her drawers. She moved from one to the next searching for what could possibly be missing. Suddenly she knew what it was and only one thought processed for Temari at that moment:

'Those were my favourite shorts.'


	16. Begging For Confessions

Chapter 16 - Begging for confessions

"Kiba, are you feeling well?" Shino asked his teammate after their usual afternoon practice.

"Yea, I'm great!" Kiba said excitedly they were both lying exhausted on the grass on the training grounds. Akamaru was just a little ways away also resting. They had been training extra hard since Hinata was away on a mission. They considered it their guy time. Despite all their arguments they were the best of friends. "What's up?"

"You have not been...busy." Shino answered and Kiba turned questioning eyes on him. His brow was furrowed above his shades. Kiba could tell he was thinking about this from every possible angle. "How do I know this? It is rapidly becoming common knowledge. The girls have been asking around for your health. There are even starts of gossip of the reasons concerning your… apparent disinterest."

"What exactly are we talking about here?" Kiba asked with a teasing smirk. He could just feel the glare Shino shot him.

"Are you that incapable of understanding? Of course you are." Shino said in his usual tone. Kiba rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Didn't know you listen to gossip, that's it.

"It's awfully hard to not hear." Shino admitted and Kiba nodded agreeing. They were silent for a couple of minutes before Shino spoke again. "Do you plan on answering my question or not?"

"Oh, there was a choice? I was just going to wait and see if you'd forget but since I have a choice then, no." Kiba answered cheerfully. Now Shino had a full on frown.

"Why not? If this affects our teamwork and our team then we should know."

"It won't affect the team." Kiba told him propping himself up on his elbows to look at him. Shino followed his example still frowning at not knowing.

"How can you be sure?"

"I'm telling you Shino." he answered getting up with a sigh. Leave it to Shino to ask questions when it was only them. He was grateful Hinata wasn't here to add to Shino's questions of concern.

"Has something happened that has affected you?"

"As much as it's nice to know you don't completely hate me, I'm fine Shino. Seriously." Kiba told his friend. Shino watched him with a hint of doubt in his stare even behind his shades. Nobody but he Hinata and Kuranai would be able to tell the emotions that Shino hid so well behind his shades and under his hood. "You'll eventually find out and I'll eventually tell you but not now and possibly not for a long time."

"If this happens to affect your performance on a mission I will ensure to kill you first with my own hands." Shino warned after a moment and Kiba smiled brightly.

"Yea sure. Let's go eat! I bet I can eat more Taiyaki than you can!"

"Keep dreaming." Shino said through a smirk.

"Are they here yet?" Kankuro asked coming into Gaara's office. Baki looked up from a scroll he was reading at the interruption. Gaara looked away from his cup of coffee with a nod.

"They're already on their way." he answered.

"Puurfect." Kankuro said rubbing his hands together. Baki looked from one Sabaku to the other with a frown.

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

"All in due time, sensei. All in due time." Kankuro muttered darkly and Gaara slowly sipped his drink.

Temari was just returning home from the market after long hours of working with Gaara when a shadow moved in the dark to her left. She continued walking as if she hadn't noticed it. There was another flash of movement on her other side. Temari tensed slightly. That was two of them, she could take them. A shadow slinked past behind her. Three. A little outnumbered but with her skill she'd make it. One more moved nearby. Just how much of them were there? When would they make their move?

All together the four shadows sprung forward. Temari immediately fell into a defensive position hand on her fan. Her bag of groceries lay on the sandy ground.

"Paranoid Temari." the first one stated flipping her long red hair over her shoulder with a smirk.

"She has a right to be paranoid, Aiko." Natsu

"But it's only us." Aiko said with a frown.

"I'd be scared if it was you guys jumping out of the shadows at me." a short girl with equally short hair commented bouncing on her feet. A short blade was belted to her side.

"Shut up Etsuko." Natsu said and the girl stuck her tongue out at her. Temari rolled her eyes and bent to pick up her groceries.

"Here Temari, let me help you." the only one who hadn't spoken yet said moving forward to help Temari pick up her fallen grocery. Her long dark hair was caught upon a high ponytail and the sleeves of her short kimono were caught up at her elbows.

"Thanks Hoshimi." Temari said smiling at the girl before glaring at the others. "It's good to know that at least someone notices I'm still here."

"You know how they are." she commented with a smile while Temari's statement went ignored by the bickering three.

"How was your mission?" Temari asked conversationally as they both continued the walk to her apartment.

"It went well." Hoshimi answered. "We just got back and decided to come see our favourite fellow guard."

"That's sweet. I kind of missed you guys." Temari said and

"Really Sis?" Etsuko asked throwing an arm around her. "'Cause we're sleeping over!"

"What?" Temari asked staring at the girl hanging off her shoulder.

"Shorty is right. We're crashing at your place." Aiko said catching up to them with Natsu.

"Why?"

"We missed you!" Etsuko exclaimed throwing her hands up.

"I don't want to go home." Natsu said blankly.

"I don't want to clean." Aiko whined. Temari could only imagine the mess that place would be.

"Just wanted to spend some time with you." Hoshimi said with a shy smile.

"Think of it this way," Aiko began nonchalantly before pulling out two bottles with a wide grin. "Girls fun night!"

"Yea!" Etsuko celebrated

"No." they all told her. She looked at them wide eyed before pouting.

"But I'm a good drunk. Hoshimi is the violent drunk."

"But you're like an obedient, eager to please puppy that listens to everything Natsu says and you know she's a heck moody drunk."

"That reminds me, you all like puppies right?" Temari asked as they walked into the apartment building she shared with her brothers. They all looked at her quizzically.

"Uh, yea?"

"Good, I have a puppy now."

"A puppy!" Etsuko said happily

"Can we play with him?" Hoshimi asked

"He's really supposed to grow into a nin-dog but I guess you can play with him a little."

"If he's a nin-dog, why isn't he with you?"

"He wasn't feeling well so I gave him some medication his vet sent for him and he fell asleep." Temari told them finally reaching her door. They waited while she unlocked the door to let them all in. She was immediately ambushed by the little blond bundle of energy. She handed off the bag in her hands to Natsu to pick up the puppy that seemed to be growing a little faster than he should be.

"So what do we do first?" Etsuko asked suddenly in her sleeping gear.

"You guys are serious about this?" Temari asked eyeing the girl.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Hoshimi asked, she was also changed. Aiko and Natsu were already lying about in her living room in their sleeping clothes as well. Temari stated at them in disbelief.

'I'll never get how they do that.' she thought to herself before putting Sanji back on the ground.

"First we eat." she told them moving to the kitchen. Aiko grabbed her before she could get there.

"You go change your clothes. Hoshimi and I will cook for ya!" she said smiling.

"Me too." Etsuko volunteered only to be shot down.

"No offence but you're a klutz." Natsu told her. Etsuko folded her arms turning away from them. Temari sighed but went to change her clothes anyway. They could be such a handful.

Soon they were all gathered around Temari's centre table eating a late dinner and chatting about things in general. Before long the sake began to flow.

"I won't lie to you Tem," Aiko said suddenly after a bout of laughing. "We were sent by Gaara to find out about somethin' (hic) buuuut (hic) I'm more interested in this boyfriends of yours that you never tilled us about."

"Wasn't that what we were supposed to find out?" Natsu asked with a confused look.

"You said tilled!" Etsuko giggled pointing at Aiko.

"You're hiding stuff from us Sis." Hoshimi said darkly before jumping up with a kunai in hand and a dark aura. She threw the kunai into the table where Temari had just reached for her cup. "You're not supposed to hide this stuff from us!"

Temari had known something was up the minute Aiko brought out the sake but she had forgotten just how violent Hoshimi got when she was drunk. This was only her being slightly drunk.

'Note to self: no more sake for Hoshi.' Temari thought inching the bottle away from the dark haired girl.

"Aren't you going to tell us?" Etsuko whined.

"Yea tell us." Aiko joined her.

"Bubbles!" Natsu exclaimed staring at the very plain, very smooth and very bubble free table top. Temari was eying the kunai that Hoshimi was now wielding. Temari was by far the sanest person in the room.

"Ok fine. I will." she told them with a calming gesture. They all stared at her intently except Natsu who gave her a vacant look. "Well. He's sweet."

"Is he lazy? Or anything along those lines?" Natsu surprisingly asked the first question.

"Nope he's nothing like that guy."

"Good." she said nodding slowly but quickly being drawn in by the stars outside. "He sounded like someone I'd hate."

"You'll really hate him when I tell you why we broke up."

"Tell us that after you tell us about um who?" Aiko prompted

"The awesomest guy in the world." Temari answered

"Yea, that guy." Aiko waved her off.

"What was saying?"

"He's sweet like candy!" Etsuko answered cheerfully.

"Maybe..." Temari and her cheek became slightly tinted.

"Oh! Blushing is good." Aiko teased.

"Or he could be another bum in disguise!" Hoshimi murmured but was ignored.

"What else?"

"Nice and cool."

"Is he cute?" Aiko grinned playfully.

"Hot." Temari answered this time really blushing. Maybe she had more to drink than she originally thought.

"I like them cute." Etsuko said thoughtfully but soon brushed the thought away for something more interesting. "Details!"

"No. If you know what he looks like you'll dream and take him away and I'll dream nightmares and he'll cheat and you'll suffer and there'd be sex and blood and tears and gore and sand. Lots of bloody sand and millions of blades and torn cloth and blood, blood everywhere." Temari said throwing herself onto the floor in despair and buried her head in her folded arms. 'Yup definitely more than I thought. Even I didn't understand that.'

"Enough gossip!" Hoshimi suddenly yelled standing. "Tell us what the ex did."

"Had an affair with his teammate." she said head still buried in her arms. There was a collective gasp.

"How could he?"

"Death to pineapples!" Natsu chirped.

"How dare that bastard?" Hoshimi raged

"That horwibble." Etsuko grumbled.

"We plot vengeance!" Hoshimi agreed

"Immediately!" Aiko added with a fist in the air.

"He'll be caught like a deer in headlights!" Hoshimi plotted darkly.

"Pun!" Etsuko yelled

"What's headlights?" Natsu asked.

"You know, the lights they tie to the carriages in front when people travel at night." Aiko explained irritably. Temari mentally slapped herself. "When do we start?"

"After nap!" Hoshimi answered before nose diving into Temari's sofa and instantly falling asleep. This time Temari really sighed. She sat up only to see that not only had Hoshimi gone to sleep but the others had also decided to simultaneously nod off. If anything she was getting a blessing. Sanji sauntered over to her and laid his head on her lap. She rubbed his side absently before moving to snuggle him and going off to sleep as well.


	17. The Exchange Teachers Programme

Chapter 17- The Exchange Teachers Program

Temari stared at her brother as if he had grown another head. He couldn't possibly be serious about what he just said. Gaara only looked up from his papers momentarily to see her shocked expression. Kankuro was smirking in the corner.

"What?" Temari finally found her voice to ask.

"You're in charge of the Teacher Exchange program." Gaara repeated not looking up.

"Explain."

"Suna and Konoha will be exchanging three of their ninjas that will teach each other's academy students basic Tai-jutsu, nin-jutsu and gen-jutsu." he answered now looking at her. "It will only be the basics and will spot out those that are particularly inclined to which field."

"So you mean like how?"

"We are only doing the classes that will be graduating this year. Both classes will be mixed then split into three. Each group will be rotated with the three teachers every day so that each one will have two classes a day."

"And what exactly am I supposed to do?"

"You will be the supervisor. You will be the one to ensure that everything goes smoothly. They will report to you which students excel in which area and which are below average and even which utterly fail."

"I see." she said thinking it over. Who would have ever thought Suna would be sharing it's teachers? No hidden village would have the balls to do it but here were Konoha and Suna doing just that.

"That will be your duty for the next three weeks until you have to travel to Konoha again." Gaara said reaching for a new paper from his stack.

"Do you know who Konoha will be sending?" Temari asked and now Kankuro watched her carefully. Gaara looked up at her again.

"Jinta Hikari, Sasuke Uchiha and Rock Lee."

"Lee!" she exclaimed "Are you sure you want him teaching young impressionable kids?"

"No," Gaara answered truthfully "but he among the best."

"Don't worry Temari," Kankuro said finally deciding to join the conversation. "He won't be there for the first week or so you'll be getting a substitute that will hopefully leave a lasting impression that won't be changed by Lee's... enthusiasm."

"Ok but isn't this the first mission Sasuke will be having outside of Konoha?" Temari asked sitting in one of the chairs before Gaara's desk.

"Yes actually." Gaara said casually. "You are to keep an eye on him as well. They should be here in four days."

"So I don't actually have to teach anyone?"

"No."

"I wish I got easy missions like that." Kankuro grumbled scratching his chin in thought. "Yea I never get a mission like that."

"Would you like a D-rank?" Gaara asked.

"No!" Kankuro said instantly, shaking his head. He smiled at Gaara. "I'm good."

"I insist."

"I just remembered! I need to perfect that new poison I'm working on." Kankuro said moving towards the door and slipping out. Temari laughed lightly at her brothers.

"I doubt anybody wants a D-rank Gaara." she told the red head. He shrugged slightly with a small grunt.

"He whines." he said. She raised a brow at him. "He's always bored and never wants to do paperwork. You at least help a little." he then turned wide teal eyes on her. "Plus you feed me."

"Aww and here I thought you hated when I feed you." she said reaching across to gently pull his cheek. He stared blankly back at her.

"Don't you have a mission to prepare for?"

"I have three days, don't I?" she smiled at him. "For those three days you'll have me to feed you and take care of you to a fault."

"Wonderful." was the sarcastic response.

XXXXX

True to her duty, Temari stood patiently at the gate awaiting the arrival of the Konoha team. She had been waiting for almost two hours already. The guards nearby were beginning to wonder what she was doing there. Truth was she didn't have anything else to do. Gaara literally threw her out of his office and Kankuro was busy. The girls were busy too. What better way to pass time than to wait for people who were supposed to be there a hour ago. Luckily she had a very good imagination and awesome skills. A few passers-by were left wondering where such random breezes came from. They were none the wiser.

She was just about to call it quits for the day when one of the guards announced the arrival of the teachers from Konoha.

'About time.' she thought staring through the gate at the incoming travellers that were still at a distance. She walked away to stop a random ninja passing by.

"Tell the Kazekage that they have arrived."

"Anything else?" the Chunin asked and Temari shook her head. The Chunin was off in an instant. There were perks to being the Kazekage's sister. It meant you were respected and you got good missions... some times. It was being an ambassador that sucks. The traveling got tiring, the paperwork was tiring, and the politics was tiring. It was only recently that things were doing better but it was still tiring.

"Temari!" Temari looked up at the shout. Her face almost lit up when she recognised who it was. She smiled at the group just passing through the gate. She must have spaced out; they were already past the guards.

"Hey Kiba." she said before greeting Akamaru as well by ruffling his fur. She turned to greet the other two. "Sasuke." she greeted him and he nodded to her. She turned to the final arrival, a tall, dark haired fellow. "You must be Jinta Hikari. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Temari-sama." he said with a smile and a bow. Temari smiled graciously as she watched Kiba roll his eyes at the dramatics.

"No need for that. Just call me Temari. I'm in charge of the Teacher Exchange Program and I'd like to know what you are doing here." Temari said looking pointedly at Kiba. He grinned cheekily at her as he dipped into his shuriken pouch.

"Lee was out on a mission and it won't be done until the few weeks." he answered handing her a scroll addressed to the supervisor of the program. She skimmed it quickly. It said pretty much what Kiba said along with a small apology for the inconvenience.

"Okay then, well follow me." Temari said finally. She led them away and towards their accommodations. "You guys will be working with the academy students. The classes will be split in to three and you will all be teaching simultaneously. After your lesson you'll switch the students around. You'll only have two classes a day because they're little and the lessons might be a little stressing for them. I can only guess you plan to work them hard.

"Yes."

"Not too much." Kiba said and they all turned questioning gazes on him. He grinned back. "Have sympathy they're going to be trained by Lee after I'm gone. It will be stressing, don't get me wrong, but not Gai and Lee's level of stressing."

"Understandable but don't go easy on them." Temari conceded. They stopped before a small apartment and Temari turned to them. "This is where you will be staying. Just go in and tell them you're from Konoha and you were sent here. They have a place ready for you. Be ready for seven tomorrow."

"Thank you for your kind accommodations Temari-sama." Jinta said as they began walking to the door. She could tell Kiba was rolling his eyes again. She'd admit the guy looked like he was sucking up to her.

"By the way Temari, where's Sanji?" Kiba asked suddenly turned back to her. The others continued without him, not that he minded.

"We had a stressing workout this morning so he's at home resting for a while." Temari answered as Kiba moved to stand before her.

"Oh, just wondering. We haven't seen him in a while." Kiba said speaking for both himself and Akamaru. "Or you really. Are you well?"

"Aww, you actually sound like you care." Temari said smiling at him. He rolled his eyes. He was doing that a lot today.

"Who says I don't?" he said before shaking his head. "I'll see you later."

"Really? You're gonna sneak in again?" Temari asked putting a hand on her hip.

"It's my Suna ritual now." he told her with a wave before slipping into the building. Every night for at least a week? The guy had nothing to do, Temari concluded. He poked his head through the door. "You look beautiful by the way."

"Shut up and go away." she retorted with a glare and he disappeared with a laugh. He really had nothing to do. He actually came back to tease her. What the hell? Calling her beautiful in the middle of the street, in broad daylight, out loud. Was he nuts?

"Temari are you ok? You're pink." Kankuro asked. Temari looked at him shocked. She couldn't possibly have been blushing, right?

"What are you doing here?" she asked getting over her initial shock.

"I was walking past and saw you just standing here." he answered visually examining her. She seemed a little flustered but otherwise fine. "Are you ok?"

"Um. Seeing the Konoha nins reminded me of my boo for a moment." she told him and she could see his brow furrow even under all the face paint. It was too far from the truth.

"Well that was a long moment." he commented after a long pause. "Be careful. Don't just zone out like that. It's not healthy."

"Yea. Sure." Temari said smiling at him. The smile soon became a teasing grin. "You love me. You care for me. You really love me."

"Shut up. You're my sister, I'm supposed to care. I'm leaving." he said and left before Temari had a chance to comment.

"Yea. He loves me." she muttered to herself with a smile. Now she had other things to do like report to Gaara and maybe help him with paperwork and make sure he ate something. She also had to go get Sanji since he should be done resting by now.

XXXXX

"It's official. Kids are trouble." Jinta commented darkly. The three Konoha nins had just returned from their first lessons and Jinta already looked slightly stressed. Kiba and Sasuke on the other hand looked perfectly fine.

"You gotta get them to respect you." Kiba advised and Jinta gave him a look. They were both seated on a bench near the training grounds where they had their classes. Sasuke was standing just close enough to be considered a part of the group. "You gotta show why you're here. Show that you got the power and strength to wipe all of them flat on their back in one go."

"So threaten them?"

"Or give them a healthy dose of killing intent." Kiba answered with a shrug. He was content to just run his hands through the fur of Akamaru's big head that was resting on his legs.

"I find that works very well." Sasuke offered. The two stared at him for a minute.

"No normal person would oppose you anyway." Kiba stated blankly and Jinta nodded in agreement. Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly in irritation.

"So you used intimidation?" Jinta asked returning to their conversation.

"Nope. I'm just a very likeable person." Kiba replied honestly.

"Ok… how does that help me?" Jinta asked and Kiba shrugged.

"Be yourself. The respect will come when you prove your knowledge and extensive use of nin-jutsu." Kiba reassured patting him on the back with a smile. Jinta gave him a doubtful look.

"You guys have such charisma." he groaned.

"It's not charisma it's damn good looks," Kiba told him with a devilish grin. Jinta was unimpressed. He was good looking too but people didn't immediately respect him like they did the other two. "But then maybe it is charisma too. Having an actual personality draws people."

"So I don't have a personality?"

"Yes, well no... No you don't really have one. You're very normal." Kiba told him and Sasuke had to resist rolling his eyes. Why were they even having this conversation? Why was he interested in this the why of it all?

Jinta looked thoughtful for a moment. His next statement was cut off by the call of an approaching figure. Akamaru raised his head off its resting place to greet the little golden ball that wasn't as little as he used to be. Said puppy was barrelling straight at them happily.

"Hey Sanji." Kiba greeted the puppy when he was free from Akamaru. He lifted the puppy onto his legs. "Wow, you're growing fast!"

"That's a cute little dog Temari-sama." Jinta commented when Temari got to them. She smiled at him after greeting Sasuke with the usual nod.

"Yea. He is."

"He's getting big fast." Kiba commented as he tickled Sanji. "It's possible that his parents or a parent was a big dog."

"Does that mean he'll end up being the size of Akamaru?" Temari asked wide eyed in horror. She'd have to buy a house if he ever got that big. "Akamaru is one huge dog."

Kiba laughed. "I doubt it. Akamaru is like that for a reason."

"What's the reason?" Temari asked and Kiba looked away from Sanji to look up at her.

"That's a secret." he grinned back. She shot him a playful glare before addressing all of them.

"How was your first lesson guys?"

XXXXXX

Temari knelt beside the swearing convulsing body. She wasn't sure if she should touch him. Worry and fear were drawn on her face. She didn't know what to do. He had been fine only a minute ago and now he was on the floor in extreme pain. He didn't even have a scratch. She called the aid of a passing ninja through the door of her apartment building's lobby.

"Call Kiba Inuzuka."


	18. The Pain Inside

Chapter 18 - the pain inside

Kiba was having a pretty good time teaching the kids. He made sure that they enjoyed it too. He used several games to get them up and moving. he participated in brawls with them and organised matches between them as well. He corrected stances and showed them how to hit harder and to get away from the enemy. He had them do exercises But he wasn't an exercise-loving-mad-man. He'd leave that to Lee when he got there. They all seemed to like Akamaru a lot too.

Then there was his favourite student, Akira. She was an enthusiastic eleven year old that just kept getting better. Her firm was alittle sloppy but she was quick and a fast learner. she was small and she used it to the vest of her ability. He heard she sucked at gen-jutsu though.

To be truthful he never thought the kids would be that good or that fun to teach. He had sort of dreaded the teaching. He was just glad to be in Suna where he could find Temari and bother her every now and then. Now he proudly stood watching them have shirt matches against each other. They were improving.

"Kiba Inuzuka." the nin he had sensed approaching stated when he stopped by him. He looked over at the grim faced Ninja. "Temari-sama calls you urgently, this instant."

"Um. Ok." Kiba said looked at Akamaru. Temari calling him urgently? What for? "Watch the class Akamaru."

At the the nin-dog's accepting whine he turned to go with the ninja immediately. They travelled quickly and found Temari by her apartment door. She looked distressed and worried.

"Come." Temari said grabbing him by the collar and pulling him through the door. The other nin disappeared back to his own business.

"What happened? What did I do?" Kiba questioned at the brutal hauling. Temari stopped in her tracks.

"It's not you. It's Sanji." she said not looking at him.

"What's wrong with Sanji?" Kiba asked. Temari led him around to near the bathroom. On the floor on a soft mat lay a trembling Sanji. Soft whines of pain escaped him. Kiba got down on his knees beside him. "What happened?"

"We just came back from training and he was a little tired. It wasn't anything serious but then he started whining and fell down. He started shivering and whining and he was wet like he was sweating badly. He's been like that for about fifteen minutes now."

"Why didn't you call a vet?" Kiba asked checking Sanji heart rate.

"I did but he's not here."

"Call Hana." he told her resting a hand on Sanji's side and closing his eyes.

"I sent word to Gaara to call her but she won't be here for three days even if she left out right now." Temari said watching in worry as Kiba focused on what he was doing. When he opened his eyes he immediately dig into his shuriken pouch.

"His chakra is plummeting I'm going to give in a soldier pill and one on Akamaru's nutrient pills. I'm not sure if it would be safe for him. It wouldn't be usually but right now he needs the boost. He's running out of chakra and what ever it is looks like it's eating him out." he explained producing the pills. Temari nodded quickly. She would do anything that might help him.

"Where's the actual vet when you need him." she mumbled while Kiba worked on getting Sanji to swallow the pills. It took a few minutes for Sanji to finally show some change and begin to calm down. Temari took a deep breath and sunk to the floor to lean on the side of the sofa. Kiba sighed softly and moved away from Sanji to sit beside Temari. She was simply staring at the sick puppy with wide eyes.

"It's probably my fault, isn't it?" she finally said.

"No. It's not. You take good care of him." he told her earnestly. He saw how she treated Sanji and knew that the puppy was treated wonderfully.

"Then poisoning?" she asked, bringing up the first thought that came to mind.

"Possibly." he stated. He neither agreed or disagreed. It seemed likely. Being a ninja meant lots of enemies but being an influential and strong ninja meant even more enemies.

"But I'm the only one who feeds him. He doesn't eat from anyone else."

"Maybe from your source." he suggested wrapping his hand around hers.

"I eat everything he eats." she said and he intertwined their fingers carefully.

"You feed him chocolate? Alcohol? Avocado? Macadamia? Grapes?" Kiba asked and she levelled him with a look.

"Hana told me not to feed him those things. Do you think I'd be stupid enough to get him drunk?" she asked irritably. Did she have 'idiot' marked on her head or something?

"No Temari, I don't. I was just going down the list. I didn't even realise I said alcohol." he said to placate her. She glared at him a second more. "Now, let's think of things other than poisoning."

"Like a virus."

"Maybe." he stated playing with her fingers.

"He got all his shots. You said so." she said frustrated even as he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.

"Yea but there are some viruses that don't have standardised shots. It could also be hereditary."

"So he could have got whatever this is from his patents?" she said only swiftly glancing at Kiba as he gently kissed the hand he held again. "How do we know if it's hereditary?"

"We don't. Not until Hana or the vet comes and find out what it really is." he answered still planting soft kisses on her hand. "We'll have to hope that the nutrients and pills will be sufficient until at-least one of them arrives."

"Kiba, what are you doing?" she asked finally giving him more than a glance.

"I'm seducing you." he answered and continued his showering her hand in kisses.

"This is no time for joking around." she hissed at him.

"I'm not joking." he said seriously.

"Do you really think this is the right time to be 'seducing' me?" she asked annoyed.

"It will distract your mind." he stated choosing to ignore her tone and looking at her with a blank expression.

"I doubt that works."

"Then why are you arguing with me?" he asked smirking at her. She paused, a small repeated tick began to develop in her brow.

"Shut up." she growled looking back at Sanji's limp form on his mat. Kiba reached up to hold her head still with his free hand before gently kissing her cheek.

"I'll be here. I'm going to help you. I won't leave." he told her reassuringly. His hand squeezed hers in comfort.

"Temari!" Gaara's voice called from the door way into her apartment. Kiba gave her hand one last squeeze before pulling away so that she could go to her brother. "What happened?"

"We're not sure yet."

"How come your vet is gone?" Kiba asked rising from the ground.

"The vet isn't here?" Gaara asked and Temari shock her head to answer. Gaara closed his eyes for a minute before looking back at her. "I sent a message to Konoha. They will be sending Hana. She should be on her way now."

Ok. Temari mumbled. Kiba looked between the two before turning to walk into the bathroom.

"I'll get a bath ready incase his fever goes up again." he said before disappearing.

"Why's he here?" Gaara asked with an almost weary look towards the bathroom.

"We have no vet right now and he's an Inuzuka. He's bound to know more about dogs than anyone else in the village." Temari answered with a sigh.

"Where's the mountain of fur?"

"His name is Akamaru and he's not here. I don't even know where he is. You actually asked a good question."

"Where is your fur ball?"

"It's Sanji." she said with a sigh. He gave no response. She brought him over to the puppy that really didn't look so much like a puppy anymore.

"Isn't he growing a little fast?" Gaara asked looking at the blonde nin-dog. He wasn't really one for pets bit he could at least tell that Sanji hadn't been that big when he saw him a few days ago.

"His parents might have been big." Temari told him what Kiba had told her a few days before.

"What happened?"

"I have no idea." Temari said honestly.

XX

Sanji hurt all over. Even some places he never knew existed hurt. But this was the price of it all. It hurt but he would bear it. He wish he didn't have to worry his Master but he couldnt do anything about that. He didn't know exactly what was happening to him but when it ended he'd be bigger, better, stronger. He'd be able to do all those thing he couldn't do because he was just too small.

The pain was only an ache now but it would come back soon enough. Master was beside him all the time. So was Akamaru's Master but Akamaru wasn't there. He couldn't smell him near by. The bigger dog had become his brother figure and something of a role model. If only he could be that big and that skilled then he could make his master even stronger.

XXXXX

On the second day of Sanji's sudden sickness his condition was stable despite looking somewhat bloated. The veterinarian had visited in the morning and had told them that he had never seen anything like it. He told them that he would have done what Kiba had done but they should be careful with the dosage since it was made specifically for an older and bigger dog. They hadn't bothered to move him from the mat near by the bathroom either. They weren't sure if moving him would worsen his state and so were being careful not to.

Temari was tired. Her face was drawn and reflected the exhaustion of staying up all night to make sure she didn't miss anything that happened to Sanji and so she could be there for him. Kiba was nice enough to say over most of the time and probably would have all the time if she hadn't sent him to teach. Akamaru was there though his presence was comforting to say the least. Kankuro or Gaara would stop by every now and then to make sure she was eating. The irony.

At the moment, Temari was in the kitchen by the sink with a cup of coffee and was staring through the window at the sky outside. The sky was clear but her mind was elsewhere and otherwise occupied. She was only vaguely aware of Kiba entering the apartment and coming into the kitchen. She was jolted out of her thoughts when he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Don't drink that." he said softly into her ear as he pulled the cup away from her. She sighed watching the contents of the cup go down the drain and the cup itself moving to the counter while in Kiba's hands. "You should sleep. Hana should be here tomorrow. He'll be fine."

Temari didn't reply but leaned her weight back onto him. To think she was feeling this depressed and tired. Some ninja she was. Emotional stress sucked. She began to calm down when Kiba started to hum softly in her ear. She was thankful he was this close and not in Konoha. She was especially thankful that he was trying to take her mind off everything.

She must have been really tired because all she could remember next was watching the clouds move across the sky as her eyelids closed to the soft humming of Kiba's deep masculine rumble.

When Kiba was sure Temari was asleep he lifted her into his arms and carried her to her room. He laid her carefully into her bed and covered her with a thin sheet. Kiba examined her for a moment to see if she was comfortable before taking in her features. To him, she looked simply great. She was beautiful. He couldn't see why Shikamaru would cheat on her. He knew she wasn't just beautiful on the outside but on the inside as well. He was around her enough, especially over the past few days, to be able to know that she had a good heart.

He gently ran a hand down her cheek before pulling away to remove his jacket and the shirt underneath it. He swung the shirt centimetres above her nose out of curiosity and smirked when he noticed the slight twitch of her nose as even subconsciously she recognised his scent. His smirk grew even more when she reached up and pulled the shirt away from him before turning to curl up with it. That was something to tease her about later but for the time he was content to be the only one to see her cuddle a t-shirt. It was beyond adorable how she buried her nose into it. He leaned over the bed to kiss her lightly on the cheek

"Goodnight." he mumbled before returning to his full height and walking to the linen closet to remove a soft sheet. He brought it with him to couch where he could watch for any change in Sanji's health.


	19. Arrival And Departure

Chapter 19- arrival and departure

There was a sense of stillness as Temari slowly gained her bearings. She recognised the soft thing she was lying on as her bed but she couldn't tell how she got there. She didn't move but instead lay still absorbing the comfort of her bed and whatever it was that she was cuddling that made her feel... safe... relatively. Maybe it was because it wasn't the actual real thing. Her eyes fluttered open on registering a noise from somewhere outside of the room and she came face to face with Kiba. He had his chin rested on his folded arms on the edge of the bed and was staring at her. A part of her mind found it weird that he was watching her in her sleep but a small part of her found it cute. Especially the way he chose to pose while watching her, like a child wanted their parent to wake up but wouldn't dare wake them on their own. It reeked of suspicious business.

"Hana's here." he broke the silence. He watched as the freaked out frown became a confused look as her morning mind processed the implications of his words before a look of elation over took her and she pushed herself up from the bed. "She checked him and said she'd have to consider a few things before locking herself in the bathroom."

"The bathroom?" Temari asked giving him a confused look.

"Yea. She ate some stuff." he clarified.

"Stuff?" she asked unconvinced.

"Yea. Stuff. Apparently it didn't agree with her." he answered nonchalantly.

"I don't what to know." she said quickly getting out of bed. She immediately realised she was wearing the same clothes that she had on the day before. "It's the same clothes."

"Would you have preferred if I had changed them for you?" he asked bouncing his eyebrows as he smiled at her. She glared at him. "Exactly."

"I have it!" was heard from outside the room. The door swung open to reveal Hana smiling at them. "I have good news and bad news."

"Ok..." Kiba prompted.

"The good news is: I know what's wrong with Sanji. The bad knows is: it's incurable. The other good news is: I know how to prevent it from continuing. The other bad news is: it takes a while to make the medicine and I'm not sure if Suna has the herbs I need. But never fear! Hana brought all her herbs!" Hana said all in quick speech.

"So, what's wrong with him?"

"Nothing, depending on how you look at it. It's more of a genetic ability than anything else." she said leaning against the wall. Temari raised a brow at her as she waited for her to continue. "It's really rare. I've only seen it once in one of my uncle's-I'm straying from the point. It causes a growth spurt of huge proportion. It's used to buff up. Sanji is currently two times the size of a normal dog his age. I can only guess that since you're so much more mature than Sanji is, Temari, Sanji is trying to make himself more mature but too quickly. He's rapidly growing but his mind is and if the hormones start he's gonna go crazy. The change takes a lot of energy so it's a good thing you gave him Akamaru's supplements, Kiba. If you hadn't he would have burned himself out."

"So what now?" Temari asked.

"I'm gonna go make his meds." Hana answered. "Kiba, why are you on the floor?"

"Uh, right." he muttered before pushing himself up from the ground. "Run along. You've got meds to make."

"Right. Give me an hour." Hana stated before rushing out of the apartment followed closely by her twins?

"Well, that's interesting." Kiba commented walking over to Temari. She frowned at him.

"He'll be fine?" she whispered.

"Yea. You want breakfast?" He answered wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her out of the room and towards the kitchen.

"Shouldn't you be teaching?" she asked allowing him to lead her.

"Yea, class starts in a few minutes. I just wanted to catch some time to watch you for a while."

"...That's weird."

"You have an adorable face."

"You're weird."

"You're hot."

"You're weird."

"You're sexy."

"You are weird."

"How many times are you going to use that? Is that my only redeeming quality?"

"Yes! Now go to work!" Temari answered pushing him away. He smiled at her before bolting through the door with Akamaru. A small smile graced her lips until a new thought hit her: 'we sound like a married couple!'

XXXXX

"Now, remember he's not to do much for the next few days so just leave him be but make sure he doesn't move much." Hana reminded Temari as she was walking both Hana and Kiba to the gates. It was the day after Hana had arrived and Lee had arrived that morning so Kiba was going to return to Konoha with his sister.

"Yea. I will." Temari assured her. Hana had been able to create and administer medication for Sanji to get better. Now Sanji was resting and surprisingly Kankuro had agreed to stay and watch him while Temari was out. In his mind Temari went with them because she was thankful to then both. To Kiba for being there to help her until Hana arrived and to Hana for healing Sanji. How little did he know about this.

"Good. I'm going ahead." Hana said suddenly running off with her triplets. Akamaru decided to go and play with them as well. Temari and Kiba watched them leave before Temari found herself being pulled quickly away and into a side street. She was released when they were both out of sight and calmly brushed her sleeve as she turned to look at him.

"I think they left us for a reason." Kiba said smirking at her as he leaned on the wall. She smiled at him.

"I think so too." she said walking to just about an arm's length away from him. "I don't really want to say good-bye."

"How long do you think you'll be stuck here for?" Kiba asked brushing some of the hair of her bangs away from her face just to watch it fall back right where it had been. She really was beautiful.

"Two or three weeks." she answered watching his face. He frowned in annoyance as he released a groan.

"Why so long?"

"It could have been two or three months."

"Still doesn't make me feel better." he whined. She laughed lightly patting his on the cheek.

"Miserable. It won't be too long." she told him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he leaned off the wall to rest his hands on her hips. She looked deeply into his dark slit like eyes. "I think I'm going to really miss you."

"I know I'll be missing you." Kiba answered looking right back at her. Temari could see the sincerity in him. Though she would never admit it, it wouldn't be the first time she missed him, if she did when he was gone. He had become someone she could probably call important. She was glad he had been there when Sanji was sick. She needed the support and help, she guessed.

"Sure." she muttered rolling her eyes before tipping up on her toes to kiss him. It was a soft peck on the cheek that left him pouting. She laughed lightly. "Yea, I guess you deserve better than that."

He didn't get to say anything since Temari pulled his head down into deep kiss.

XX

Etsuko had been running along the roofs minding her own business on her way to Temari's to visit her friend when something familiar caught her eyes. She hopped lightly to a stop. She was so accustomed to been completely silent on her most recent mission she didn't make even a sound on landing. She back tracked a step and peered down at the street she had just passed. It was empty except for two people. Etsuko wasn't too keen in watching a couple make out so she decided to leave it at that but something was nagging at her brain. She wasn't the brightest but her brain work well enough. Where had she seen that kimono before? Black and red, black and red and blond, bl- 'holy crap! Temari!'

The girl hid herself on the roof as soon as the thought popped into her head. Her eyes widened to almost the size of saucers. Her mouth widen into a giant grin as her brain caught up to the implications on just who was with her. She didn't have enough information. Could she chance taking another peek? No. She would be caught for sure. Temari had mad skillz and who knew what kind of skills the guy had. She took the next best option. Smiling her usual giddy smile, Etsuko sped off to Temari's apartment.

Now, Etsuko stood bouncing excitedly in the doorway of the apartment. She was keeping an eye on Sanji and looking out for Temari's return. The moment Temari became visible Etsuko's grin hit abnormal levels. The sudden change along with actually seeing Etsuko caused Temari to pause for a moment before stepping forward cautiously.

"Hey sis!" Etsuko greeted happily.

"Hey. What's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You seem a little weird."

"Really? I feel fine."

"You sure?"

"Yup!" Etsuko assured her as they both entered the apartment.

"Where's Kankuro?" Temari asked. She had expected to see him there just as she had left him.

"Oh, he went out. I offered to wait for you instead. I wanted to surprise you and it worked!" Etsuko said hugging her happily. Her voice suddenly dropped from it happy pitch to a low tone. "There's one thing though."

"What's that?" Temari asked her weariness coming back full force.

"Who's mister chocolaty hair?" she asked in the same low tone. Temari froze.

'How'd she know?'

Taking Temari's reaction into account she broke out into her happy self again and laughed. "That was him! He was here! You're seriously not going to tell us who it is?"

"Etsuko..." Temari tried to calm the girl.

"You are doomed Temari! I have seen him once and if I ever see him again I'll know it's him!"

'Crap.' the blond thought dejectedly before grabbing the bubbly girl to steady her. "Etsuko, you can't tell anyone. Not even a vague description."

"Um, ok." Etsuko answered blinking widely.

"...Ok?" Temari asked. She had thought it would take more convincing to get the girl to agree. Had it been Aiko she would have had to beg and even then it wouldn't have been guaranteed.

"Yea. Finally I am the winner!"

"The winner?"

Yep! For the first time, I am the one with the upper hand and I will use it the moment they think they have found out, to crush their happiness with the fact that I, the one that is usually teased, have already conquered the challenge!"

"Uhhh... Whatever you say just don't tell."

"Sure. It's not like I can tell much anyway. All I know is he's a brunette and you two were smoochin' in an ally."

"That's it?"

"Yup!"

"Seriously?" she asked

"Yea but my recognition skills are great so I'll know him the minute I see him."

"Yea." Temari agreed. It was true. Etsuko could spot people she had met only once after not seeing them for years.

"So, you have my word." The girl told her with a grin.

"Good."

"So..." Etsuko prompted drawing Temari's attention to her. How does it feel to smooch in plain sight?"

"Goo-shut up!"

'I can't believe I almost answered that!'


	20. Maybe A Change

Chapter 20 - maybe a change

"Finally!" Temari exclaimed jumping up happily. Sanji opened an eye to watch her lazily for a moment before closing it once more.

"Yes, yes, yes. You get to go to Konoha and see your precious boyfriend that you refuse to tell us about." Kankuro said waving her off from his place perched on the edge of Gaara's desk. "Just remember you're going to plan for the chunin exams not to hang out and get laid."

"Whatever you say bro." Temari said before smiling at the group of girls that would be going with her on the mission. Etsuko grinned right back at her. This was her chance. The other three girls would be going as well so it was obvious that they would all be aiming for the same thing. Temari was lucky that it was Etsuko that found out and not one of the others. If It had been Aiko the others would have found out simply because she wouldn't be able to stop the teasing. Hoshimi would have gotten a mission to Konoha sooner to scour the village until she found some one who fit the bill and stalk them until she either deemed them fit or threaten him in to breaking up with her. Natsu would be right behind her doing pretty much the same thing. She could live with Etsuko knowing because the girl would be satisfied just to know that she was the only one who knew especially if she found out on her own reasoning. It would be testament to the fact that she wasn't that useless. Temari had never doubted her. This trip was bound to be interesting with them trooping along, even if it was unnecessary.

"When can we leave?" Aiko asked seriously.

"You can leave now if you want." Gaara told them as he tended to his paper work. Paper work never ended for a kage.

"Great. My bags already packed." Temari commented brimming with excitement.

"Mine too." Natsu said and Hoshimi nodded in agreement.

"What?" Temari asked surprised. She hadn't expected for them to be prepared for this mission.

"We're going hunting." Natsu

"We had planned on find some way to get ourselves into any mission you had that went to Konoha." Hoshimi explained smiling serenely at them.

"Well I guess Etsuko and I have to pack then." Aiko commented

"Nope. I'm packed too." Etsuko said and Aiko glared at her.

"Fine. I'll go pack." the red head said throwing her hands up. She stomped irritably out of the room slamming the door behind her. The girls chuckled at their friends behavior.

"All of you go get ready. I wanna leave now!" Temari said happily. She just couldn't stop smiling. Hoshimi rolled her eyes but said her good-byes and left. Etsuko followed quickly behind her.

"You know, you can always just tell us who it is." Kankuro said when they were gone. Temari's smile grew wider.

"I know."

"We will find out. It makes no sense to keep it from us." Gaara stated and watched with a frown as Tenari approached them. Why would his sister keep this away from them?

"It's not that I don't want you to find out." Temari said resting a hand on each of her brothers shoulders. "It's that I don't want to tell you. I'm sure you'll eventually find out on your own and that's so much more fun then me telling you."

"You're playing with us?"

"Why would I do that? I merely don't want to tell you yet." Temari answered before almost skipping away from them. Sanji rose from his nap by the wall to follow. "I'm off! See you in a awhile!"

The brothers watched as their cheerier than usual sister exited the room. Gaara sighed softly before turning back to his work. Kankuro stared at the door in thought.

"I'm not sure if her being so happy is a good thing. It's weird." he said finally. Gaara gave a grunt of agreement. It wasn't something he saw often or at all. She was happy but not that happy. "Too weird."

"We must find this person. We have many things to discuss with him."

"Many is an understatement."

"Kankuro." Gaara called catching his brothers attention. Kankuro turned slightly to look at him. "Get off my desk."

The blonde look up at the huge gates before them. They were finally there. She could hear Etsuko send up a cheer from somewhere behind her. They practically breezed through the formalities at the gate and rushed their way to the hokage tower. the meeting was unexpectedly short since Tsunade wasn't feeling that into anything but the sake she was hiding under her desk.

The minute they stepped out of the tower Temari was approached by an excited Sakura.

"So anyway," Sakura began after she was introduced to the four girls. "I just came to collect you to come hang with a few of us out on one of the training grounds. It's more of a welcoming back, quick catch up thing cause some of us have mission a little later."

"Uh sure." Temari agreed inwardly hoping Kiba was there. She turned to look at the girls that had come with her. "You coming?"

"Yup." Etsuko answered immediately.

"That would be nice." Hoshimi agreed politely.

"Obviously." Aiko stated.

"No thank you." Natsu said flatly.

"Come on. What if he's there?" Aiko tried to convince her. Natsu didn't answer and Aiko knew she had her.

"Well. Let's go then." Temari said before they followed Sakura. Temari and Sakura talked about how they had spent the time they had apart. Soon enough they got to the meeting place and Temari couldn't help but smile at seeing her friends and Kiba. Sanji ran over to Akamaru immediately for the bigger dog to check him over. She quickly introduced everyone to the girls from Suna. The girls were busy watching her interaction with everyone except Etsuko who was examining everyone. Soon a grin spread across her face and she turned to Temari. Temari instantly knew they had been found out.

The little meeting went well and soon everyone was heading back to their business. Kiba looked up from attending checking Sanji to talk to Temari.

"Are you going to see Hana? He looks fine but she'll want to see him." he told Temari.

"You're right."

"Who's Hana?"

"Sanji's vet." Temari answered at the same time Kiba answered: "My sister."

"Oh. I going to the hotel then." Aiko said and Natsu agreed with her. The search had proved futile.

Hoshimi looked the two worriedly then told Temari. "I'll go with them and make sure they don't do anything stupid."

"I don't want to go yet." Etsuko said immediately and grabbed onto Temari's arm. Kiba watched in well hidden annoyance until Hoshimi, Aiko and Natsu left. Now he couldn't have any free time with Temari.

"She knows." Temari said instantly. Kiba stared at her blankly.

"What?"

"She saw us that time in the alley." Temari explained. Kiba looked at the beaming girl beside Temari. "Didn't see you at first but she recognizes people easily."

"Hey, you gonna try and kill me now?" Kiba asked Etsuko.

"No but I'll let you know I will kill you at the first sign of anything I don't like." she answered sternly before smiling at him brightly. "So shall we go?"

"Isn't she sweet?" Temari asked and Kiba grunted. This was going to be a long trip for him. Akamaru and Sanji followed behind playing around with each other.

"So what's your rank?" Etsuko asked Kiba.

"Chunin. What about you?"

"Jo-nin." she answered easily. She glanced back at Sanji trying to get a stick from Akamaru. "How come he's so big? He's huge!"

"He is?" Kiba asked looking back as well. He vaguely remembered hearing that question before. "Didn't realize."

"It's so cool!" she said excitedly. Temari watched them talk with a small smile. Etsuko was just checking what he was like but she could tell the girl already liked him.

"What do you think of bugs?" Kiba asked after a moment of thought.

"They can be cool." Etsuko answered with her usual smile.

"What do you think about bugs that suck peoples chakra?" he asked more specifically.

"Thats so cool as long as you don't mean my chakra. Where do you find those?" she asked wide-eyed

"My friend has them," he paused for dramatic effect. "in his body."

Etsuko's eyes widened spectacularly. "How does he do that? Can I see them?"

"You'd have to ask him."

"Can I meet him?" she asked excitedly already bouncing on her feet. She turned to Temari. "Can I go see him please? I want to meet him. Can I? Please? I promise I'll return Kiba when we find him."

"Uh..." Temari fumbled and looked at Kiba who shrugged. "Um, ok."

"Be back soon. See you at the house. Akamaru will stay with you." Kiba said pulling Etsuko with him at full speed. Temari watched them leave before turning to the two dogs who were watching her expectantly.

"Wanna run too?"

"So what was that about?" Temari asked when Kiba finally got home and found her simply sitting in the kitchen. He smiled brightly at her before giving her a hug.

"Now we don't have a shadow." he said in her ears.

"You just gave her to Shino." she stated taking in his scent and his warmth like a sponge.

"Yup, they look sweet together." he said with a smile as he looked down at her.

"Sweet? Together? Are you trying to set them up?" Temari asked with a disbelieving look.

"Not really. Just introducing them to each other with the hope that they end up interesting each other enough for friendship and even better, love." Kiba told her and she slapped him lightly. He smiled at her again before releasing her. "Did you see Hana?"

"Yea, Sanji is fine. He just has to keep taking the medicine for a while." Temari answered happily. "He's outside playing with Akamaru. They get along pretty well, don't they?"

"Yea. Akamaru really likes Sanji. He's like a little brother to him, I guess." Kiba told her.

"Can we talk?" Temari asked and Kiba's smile faltered for a moment.

"We're talking now..." he commented and Temari gave him a look that said 'obviously'. "Ok, yea, go ahead."

"I was thinking about us over the past few weeks." she began and Kiba instant turned his full attention to her. It was already coming to an end. "I like our little arrangement. It's so much fun playing with these people and it's funny to see what they bet on. It's so fun hanging out with you too. I really like it but there's something missing."

"I get it." Kiba said nodding. He hadn't expected it to last but that didn't stop him from wanting it to continue. His mom was right: he was stupid and nuts.

"I don't think you do." Temari told him. She had watched him carefully. He may think he had hidden all emotion but she had grown close enough to him to be able to tell when something bothered him at-least a little. "The thing that is missing is the actual real feel."

"What?"

"I want us to actually do this." she said and Kiba gave her the 'are you serious?' look. "I still want to mess with everyone's head but I want to really date too. I realize I really like you and it'd be great if we could be serious about this. What about you?"

For lack of any properly functioning thought, Kiba simply replied: "Ok."

"Just ok?" Temari asked with a frown. It was like he was just going along with it. Did he actually want to do this?

"Sorry. You just kinda caught me by surprise." Kiba said sheepishly, coming back to reality. Temari raised a brow at him. "I just never really expected you to do this for real."

"You know if you don't want to, you can just say so."

"But I do. I want to." Kiba said quickly before his cheeks tinted lightly under his Inuzuka markings. "That's kinda what I wanted from the start."

"Are you serious?" Temari asked surprised. Kiba nodded with a small smile. "You liked me?"

"Well yea. I told you before, right?" Kiba said.

"No! You haven't!"

"Yea I have. I tell you that a lot of times." he told her. She could remember him saying that that he liked her before.

"How the hell was I supposed to know that's what you meant?" Temari said slapping him. He chuckled and shrugged. It hadn't even stung.

"I can't believe you didn't figure that out." he told her before looking her in her eyes and leaning nearer to her. "Can I kiss you now 'cause it's driving me nuts?"

"And tomorrow we can have a real date?" Temari asked putting her arms on his shoulders lightly.

"Yea."


	21. The Real One

Chapter 21 - the real one

Temari was nervous. As if going out with Kiba on a real date wasn't bad enough, he had dressed her again. Just like the first time when he took her to the club the dress fit perfectly. It wasn't as flashy as the club dress but it was a very nice semi-formal dress. Just as before it fit her perfectly.

It was easy enough to get dressed in her section of the hotel room. Now for the hard part: how to get away from the girls. How to get away from them without them even knowing she was gone. If they knew she was gone they would follow then they would be a problem to avoid after that. She would have absolutely no privacy with Kiba if they got that.

She slipped over to the door before cracking it open. She caught Etsuko's eye from the living room before motioning for her to come over. The girl excused herself from the other three by saying she was going to the bathroom to come see her.

"Wow. Don't you look pretty?" she commented when she enter the room. She jumped onto Temari's bed while the blond closed the door behind her.

"Thanks. I need to get out. Cover me." Temari said and Etsuko smiled.

"Sure thing." Etsuko said and got off the bed. She gave Temari a sceptical look. "How are you getting out?"

"The window." Temari answered as If it was the most obvious thing in the world. Etsuko laughed.

"In that dress?" she managed.

"Yea. Kiba will catch me if he has to." Temari said defensively and Etsuko only laughed more.

"That's not the point. Are you wearing tights?"

"Well duh. Not that dumb. I usually leave that to you."

"Hey!" Etsuko said affronted but smiled again when she saw the smile on Temari's face. "Hope you have fun. Now go jump your window."

"Whatever." Temari said before going to look out the window. Kiba wasn't there yet. She looked back at Etsuko with a small smile. The girl gave her a clueless look in return. "How was your visit to Shino? I forgot to ask yesterday but didn't you go hang with him earlier anyway?"

"It was fine. He's smart." Etsuko answered with a grin. "His bugs are really cool too. He's a cool guy."

Temari smirked at her before glancing out the window again and seeing Kiba approaching on the street. She gave Etsuko one last smile before teasing her. "Well I hope you two enjoy your next date."

Etsuko didn't get to reply because as soon as Temari had said it she had jumped through the window. Temari ran down the wall quickly keeping her dress from flaring too much before jumping towards Kiba. He caught her expertly despite being surprised by her sudden run and jump show. He raised a brow at her as she looked back at the window she had just come from to wave at Etsuko and call:"Told you so"

"Do I want to know?" Kiba asked when the Etsuko disappeared into the room. Temari smiled up at him and shook her head.

"Probably not." she said. He took her word for it and lowered her to her feet.

"You look stunning by the way." he told her as a smile tugged at his lips.

"The same could be said about you." she said offering him her hand. Her smile from before became a blush when he brought her hand to his lips before holding it properly. His eyes never left her face. "You're being awfully sweet today."

"Couldn't help it." he said leading them away. He gave her a smile. "You're cute when you blush."

"Shut up." she told him using her free hand to slap him playfully the arm. "I'm fierce."

"Yea. I think you would be pretty hot when you get like that but I don't want you getting all fierce on me so I won't test it." Kiba said with a laugh.

"That's 'cause you know I'll kick your hinny all the way to Suna and back express time."

"Hinny?" he asked trying to stifle a laugh. Temari pouted at him and he couldn't hold it in again. She was too cute when she was like this. "You set yourself up for that one."

"Oh! So we're playing this game! Oh cool. The night's still young kiddo!"

"If I'm a kid what does that make you?"

"It's only three years!"

"Don't worry. I don't mind age. As a matter of fact I find that some older women are more attractive than my own age groups."

"Oh really? Older women such as...?"

"Do you really want to know or are you ok with knowing you're at the top of the list."

Temari narrowed her eyes at him as she thought. "I'll let that one go... for now. That one there was too suspicious."

"You'll always be my favourite old lady." he said hugging her.

"It's only three years!" she exclaimed into his chest.

"I know." he said. "You beat out all girls that are older than me... And younger than me."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Temari told him pushing out of his arms.

"It's the truth." he told her before looking over her head at something behind her. "We're here by the way."

Temari spun to face the restaurant they had stopped in front of. It was actually a nice looking place.

"It's a civilian place so there's a low chance of any nins being here." he told her before leading her to the door and opening it for her. She realized just then that he hadn't let go of her hand since they set out. They quickly found a table where Kiba pulled a chair out for her to sit down on it. Temari watched with a smile as he walked around to his seat. "Menu is on the wall."

"I'll just have what you're having." she told him but still turned to look at the wall.

"What I'm having will have lots of meat and be very big." he told her with a smile.

"I like big." Temari said with a smile. He gave her an amused look when she turned to him. She raised a brow at him. "What happened to your tattoos? I swore they were there earlier."

"Oh. Just a small henge." he said running a thumb over one of his cheeks. "They draw attention in civilian crowds. They'd just keep staring."

"I didn't even notice when you did it." Temari marvelled. Before she could say anything else the waitress came over.

"Can I get you anything?" the waitress asked with a smile.

"Yea. Two of the special, one with extra meat for me." Kiba answered and she smiled at him writing on her notepad.

"Sure thing." she said before leaving them. They watched her go before looking back at each other.

"So today is the real one, right?"

"Yea. I didn't want to do anything too extravagant." Kiba answered and Temari leaned across the table with a sly smile.

"Then let's enjoy it."

"Hey. Where is Temari?"

"She went to sleep. Said the trip was finally catching up to her." Etsuko answered not taking her eyes from the TV.

"Doesn't she usually stay up?"

"She's getting old." Etsuko said with a shrug.

"Hey. I'm older than she is and I'm not getting old." Aiko said offended.

"Who knows, she's got a long day tomorrow doesn't she and maybe she wants to look good for her boyfriend or something." Etsuko told them before getting an idea. "Hey, they might work together!"

"She works with Shikamaru." Natsu dismissed with a frowned. It was a well-known fact.

"But is he the only one she works with?" Etsuko persisted. The girls gave her thoughtful looks as they contemplated it. It was quite possible. They had never asked that before.

"You do have a point." Hoshimi said eventually and the other girls agreed. This was their Temari they were talking about here. "Then we should do some research."

"Now?" Etsuko asked with a whine. Aiko looked just as unwilling to get up as she did. This was their Temari but it was also a small rest after a long trip.

"I don't want to go now either." Natsu stated with a small scowl. She was tired, very tired. Hoshimi sighed and got comfortable once again.

"Tomorrow we will be vigilantly watching Temari's every interaction." she said and received a grunt in return. Tomorrow was just fine with them. What could they find now anyway? Etsuko was just relieved that they were too tired to get to Temari.

All things considered, this was one the best dates Temari had in a while. It was great to be walking back to the hotel room with a pretty awesome guy walking with her and their hands twined together. The date had gone good as far as she was concerned and she didn't particularly want it to come to an end but any longer would be pushing it with the other girls. Etsuko could only hold them off for so long.

They both stopped walking when they came to the hotel. Temari looked at him almost shyly. She was always awkward with the end of dates. He smiled at her anyway.

"Well, I guess this is where I say goodbye til next time." Kiba stated and Temari laughed a little.

"Yea I guess." she said and he scratched the back of his head.

"Uhh... Bye?" he said awkwardly. They both laughed at how odd it was for the usually confident Inuzuka to behave like that. Temari decided to end the awkwardness with a step closer to him before raising her arms to wrap around his neck. His hands moved instinctively to her waist. She leaned up to kiss him softly before leaning about to look into his dark eyes.

"Bye Kiba." she whispered to him but didn't move to let him go. He didn't move away either. He leaned closer to her before capturing her in a slow sweet and long kiss. Temari could feel his hands move on her waist to pull her closer to him. Her hands combed through and softly tugged at the back of his hair.

"Goodnight Temari." he told her when they broke away. Her fingers were still in his hair. He leaned down to kiss her neck briefly and a hand came up to her arm to feel for the arm band he had given her. He could feel it.

"Goodnight." she told him as one hand slipped down to his cheesy to feel the chain she had given him. It was right there under his shirt. He gave her waist one more squeeze before releasing her.

"Sleep well." Kiba said taking a step back.

"You too."

"Well up you go."

"You just want to see under my skirt." she teased and he looked at her dubiously.

"Who else is supposed to see up there?" he asked and Temari gaped at him.

"Go home Kiba." she told him but couldn't hide her laughter. He gave her a suggestive smile.

"I can always carry you up." he offered still smiling.

"If you did you wouldn't leave then we'd be screwed." she pointed out. They looked at each other comfortable smile smiles adorning their faces.

"Later." Temari said finally.

"Later." he answered. They were still staring at each other.

"This is getting ridiculous." Temari said after another pause. Kiba laughed at her assessment. She stomped playfully. "I'm going up."

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." she repeated before skipping onto the wall and running up to the window of the room she was staying in. he watched her go and smiled back at her when she waved at him from the window before returning the wave. She would definitely see him tomorrow.

And thus began the blooming relationship that resulted in their marriage only a few months later. The wedding was a small one with only Tsume, Hana and Etsuko attending in the name of protecting the game. This was only the first wedding; the second more well attended and extravagant wedding would be held after the game had been found out. The game however would not end until the birth of their first child, their son, in the next year. Needless to say everyone was shocked but there was little that could be done at that point. Many people lost their money in the betting pool as well. In the end of it all though, they were laughing their hearts out.

-THE END-


End file.
